This is War
by opensecret
Summary: After the Earth is destroyed by aliens, Bulma is taken to a slave world to work until she is purchased. Her entire world is turned upside down after the arrival of Saiyans, casting her into a game of betrayals, deception, and war. BV
1. Prologue

_To the soldier, the civillian_  
_ The martyr, the victim_  
_ This is war_

_ It's the moment of truth and the moment to lie_  
_ The moment to live and the moment to die_  
_ The moment to fight_

This is War - 30 Seconds to Mars

* * *

**Prologue**

There is fire. There is fire and smoke and ash and she can't _breathe,_ but she needs to breathe, needs to get oxygen to her lungs before her head explodes and She. Needs. Air. Bulma is not stupid, is not a fool, and she knows that this must be the end. She is a scientist, not a religious woman, but this must be the end of the earth because it is the only explanation for why everything has gone so horribly wrong.

Screams rip through the air and Bulma, for a moment, wants to lie on the charred ground and press her palms flat against her ears and cry. But Bulma is a strong woman, and she will not give in to her temptation, to the need to just surrender herself and cry, so she keeps moving, keeps going, because it is the only thing keeping her alive.

All she knows is that she has to find her parents.

She has to find them because she knows they are not dead, not yet. There is something in Bulma that refuses to believe that they are gone, that they had been cut down like so many others, so she runs, through the panicked crowd, ignoring the screams, and shouts for them like her life depends on it. Fear clogs her throat, makes her choke, makes her cough and causes her eyes to water and _oh _she has never been so afraid.

She knows that Goku is fighting their leader, she saw him fly to attempt to stop this massacre of her world and her people. She thinks that she saw Gohan join him at some point, mindless of his mother's worries and screams. Bulma has faith in them, knows that they can do it, and Krillin and Tien and Yamcha will join them soon and she _knows_ that they will win. She knows that they can gather the dragonballs and wish everyone back as soon as this terror is over but right now she just needs her family.

Bulma bursts through the blown apart door of her home and something is wrong, out of place, but she ignores that nagging feeling, ignores the pain in her chest and screams for her mother, her father, dashing through the living room and _NO._

Someone is screaming a name over and over, and it _can't_ be her because she knows that that is not her mother, that cannot be her mother lying on the ground, blood seeping through her shirt and oh fuck no_ MOM – _

She can't stay in the room any longer so she runs, sprints to the lab and someone is still screaming, someone that suspiciously sounds like Bulma herself, and her fears and everything comes crashing down on her as she finds her father, glasses askew, so very lifeless, so very _dead – _

She has to leave the house, has to get out so she does, she runs like the coward she knows she is and the moment she gets out of the godforsaken house he is there and Bulma slams into him, clinging to his shirt and sobbing. "Shh, Bulma, you have to run, get out – " Yamcha shouts over the screams, pushing her away from him and she sees the panic in his eyes, the _fear _and Bulma knows that they are losing.

"Goku will beat them, Goku will kill them – " Bulma starts to say, her voice choked and hoarse from her own screams and wails, and Yamcha shakes her, his eyes alight with something (hopelessness) that makes Bulma want to lie down and curl up and cry.

"We can't win, there's too many, Tien's already dead –"

"No-"

"Just _shut up_ Bulma! You have to run, you have to get out _now!"_

He pushes her away from him and Bulma can see the newly found determination in his eyes as he dedicates his last act of life to saving her (no, not last, it can't be). One of _them _lands next to her and Yamcha and Bulma screams; the alien grins (evil incarnate), his yellow eyes following their movements with a kind of demon-like satisfaction at having found new prey to play with. "Run, Bulma!" Yamcha shouts, and he and the monster fly at each other in a flurry of movement that Bulma cannot see. She obeys her lover, turning and sprinting and how did this get so fucked up how did it get like this-

The sky is red, red with the blood of Earth's victims and people and Bulma looks back, just once, just to _see_ – and she regrets it, for Yamcha is being slammed against the ground, and as he struggles to stand, he locks eyes with her, his black eyes desperate and loving, and Bulma screams something (no) and the yellow-eyed demon slams into her boyfriend, her _love_, sharp talons digging into his back and Yamcha stills, his last words floating in the air to her, "Run."

Bulma does. She sprints and tries to get away but the demon has seen her, she knows it; her head is ripped back and she _slams _into the ground, stars bursting into her vision. Primal instincts win over and Bulma is clawing, scratching, biting, but her captor is strong, oh so strong, and he slams her face into the ground, once, twice, so that she is dazed and stops struggling.

He hisses something to her that she doesn't understand and tosses her over his shoulder like a ragdoll, like baggage, and carries her back to the place she had been trying to escape. He deliberately passes by Yamcha's still body and Bulma wants to look away but can't, she stares at her dead boyfriend and weeps, resigning herself to this defeat.

Her captor picks his way through the wreckage and to his comrades; they pass over multiple dead bodies and Bulma looks for those she recognizes and finds them: Tien, Chiaoutzu, Krillin…she does not see Goku or Gohan, but the place is so deathly silent that she knows that they no longer fight.

The aliens around her begin to speak in another tongue, some of them with their own bodies slung over their shoulders, their own victims…for a moment Bulma is scared that they are going to be sex slaves, and considers attempting to struggle and just letting them kill her, but one thought of her dead friends and dead planet and Bulma cannot seem to find the energy to even lift her head.

After the aliens seem to be done with their conversation, they begin to board the ship that they had come in – the ship that had taken everything from Bulma. It is a massive craft, and when Bulma first saw it, she was envious of whoever had been able to design such a magnificent piece of technology. That seemed a century ago.

Her and her fellow captives are tossed into a sleek, empty room, void of any sort of furniture or decoration, with one single window that takes up the entire left wall, allowing them to view the destruction that they are leaving. Bulma, with a kind of numb detachment, views the others in the room with her. There are about a hundred, all crammed into the large cargo room, some with blood splattered over their clothes and some clean. There are men and women alike, and all seem to be around the same age: early twenties to late thirties. Most wear the same dead expression that Bulma has adopted (a coping mechanism) but some of them are wailing, their mouths open in a never-ending cry and horror in their eyes.

A loud, whirring sound pierces the room and the floor and walls around them begin to hum with a sense of power. Dust kicks up from outside, Bulma sees through the window, and they all watch as they are lifted into the sky, leaving behind the dead bodies and their Mother Earth. As they ascend even higher, Bulma counts the rest of the spacecrafts that she sees ascending from other parts of the Earth and comes up with fourteen. No part of the planet was spared.

Farther and farther they go until Earth is but a blue gem on the dark blanket of space, and, once, Bulma would have found this a wonderful experience and would have been giddy, but now she feels nothing but cold emptiness. As they watch, huge beams of light burst from their spacecraft and connect with the surface of their home, the other ships doing the same, and after a few moments of tense silence, Earth explodes into shards of planet, broken and destroyed and so very _gone_, along with the dragonballs. With that thought, Bulma knows that they are all dead; her parents, Yamcha, Goku…there is no way to bring them back and never will be.

Some people cry, but their room is mostly silent as the pieces of the Earth float through space and what was once a beautiful planet is gone, nothing but a dark black empty place. Bulma, turning away from the window, lies down and sleeps, because everything is gone and she is empty and so very tired, and maybe, just maybe she can delude herself into thinking that this was all a bad dream.

**...**

**A/N: So, that's the beginning of my first BV fic. Tell me what you think so I know if I should continue or not :)**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Over the next two weeks, Bulma occasionally gets up to piss, eat, and drink. Her and the other remaining Earthlings have set up a system: bathroom in the corner, and they share the food that is occasionally pushed through a flap in the door between them. The room smells of something terrible, and often the bathroom corner is turned into the vomit corner, maximizing the putrid stench until Bulma only breathes through her nose. She doesn't talk to anyone; no one really speaks, the shock being too much. Oh, how she misses the _shower_, she misses being clean, being well-fed, being with her friends…but she is alive, so she does not complain.

Occasionally someone is taken out of the room to an observation room, where the aliens probe them, take off their clothes, and mark things down on a clipboard. When Bulma goes the aliens have no reservation about where they touch her, poking and prodding and making her wince and cringe. They tattoo a number onto her arm (0234932) in dark, black lettering (it stings) and give her a drug, and before she knows it she has woken up in their lab and suddenly everything that they say makes sense, no longer in a foreign language and she can follow their commands. They then snip a chunk of her hair out, placing it in a plastic baggy. At this Bulma cries out, her _hair_, and she receives a hard slap to the face for her efforts. After that, Bulma does not complain as they touch her, touch her in places she should _not _be touched, but she is proud of herself for only crying once they returned her to the room holding her fellow captives.

Slowly, the room empties out. They make stops, and at these foreign places, the aliens come in and select some of the Earthlings and take them out, leaving them at the planets they stop at. Bulma looked at the window at the first planet, only to be met with dead expressions of emaciated figures who stare at the newcomers with no emotions. She does not look out of the window again.

Finally, after what seems like weeks, Bulma is pulled out of the room she has occupied for the last few weeks. She looks around when she is led out, and the planet is so disgustingly barren that she is disheartened; only dirt and sand and a few hasty-looking shacks meet her eyes.

None of the other slaves have friendly eyes; they, too, look dead and void of emotion. Bulma turns away and follows her fellow Earthlings, who stick together like a knit-tight group, and makes up her mind. Yamcha died saving her, and she will not let it go to waste. She is going to live.

One year later, living becomes oh-so-hard, with everything out to kill her.

* * *

"Customers, my pretties! Line up!" Margit, a thick, purple-skinned woman who is twice as wide as Bulma is long, calls out to her servants as she waddles through the compounds, slapping the occasional slave that moves to slow with her favorite whip. Bulma immediately snaps to attention, dropping the ornate bowl she had been scrubbing into the sink and exiting the one-room house into the burning heat. She squints immediately and raises a hand to shield her eyes from the unforgiving, unusually bright sun. Uni was a dirt planet, not having one speck of green to decorate it's gloomy exterior, and Bulma _hates_ it.

Earth was so much more beautiful.

The first week here she had been taught to be a proper slave, and that involved cleaning, cooking, and obeying. When they had learned of her dismal cooking skills the masters had almost disposed of her, but she had learned. It was serve or die, here. And Bulma was determined not to die.

In the year that Bulma had worked on the dusty planet, she had not even been spared a glance when the customers came looking for slaves. Bulma did not mind. She had heard by word of mouth that working on Uni was more satisfactory than working for a single owner, as one could get placed with a cruel Master who punished more severely than Margit did. Bulma's big mouth got her a few more whippings than she would have liked (sometimes she complained, and Margit did not like to hear complaints), and sometimes it is simply too hard not to snap at her Master. But she is a good worker, so she is forgiven.

Margit's whip snaps dangerously close to Bulma, slapping across the skin of a man who is getting close to the eliminating age (once slaves reach the age of fifty they are disposed of, as they are no longer useful), and she shuffles forward more quickly, lining behind a golden-skinned, seven-foot tall woman so that she will be considered useless when compared to the exotic beauty. She wasn't stupid; Bulma only stood at 5'4", a rather unimpressive height, and was rather plain when compared to some of the beauties on the planet, even with her blue hair. At first, Bulma was dismayed, but she has learned to be thankful.

She wonders what the fuss is, examining her frantic owner; Margit hardly ever got so excited for a client, as it was a fairly customary thing.

Bulma did not have to wonder for very long.

Through the cracks in the hasty line-up they had made, Bulma sees them. Three men, one woman, each of them of the same race. They look faintly humanoid, their size relatively normal and their skin color being the same as her own. But Bulma knows about them. They are Frieza's Elites. They are Saiyans.

The armor that the Saiyans wear distinguishes them as some of Frieza's Elite soldiers. They have wide shoulder guards and long, protective thigh guards. The men's armor consists of a breastplate and a crotch guard, but the girl's only protects her private areas and a portion of her thighs. Both sets have Frieza's symbol, the outline of a head with long, sharp horns, stamped onto the chest. But the tails; the tails are what identifies them as Saiyans.

The Saiyans are some of Frieza's most vicious soldiers. They are the purgers of planets; the ones that land on worlds to exterminate the race of said planet so that the place could be sold to a satisfactory client, empty and barren of life. They are Frieza's personal murderers. The Saiyans could pass as human, if not for the thick, monkey-like tails that flick behind them as they inspect the men and women and the unnatural largeness of their arms and legs.

Who Bulma assumes is the leader walks three paces in front of the rest (there is something about him, something powerful, something regal). His black hair spreads upward from his skull, flame-like, with a high widow's peak, and he is especially short, Bulma notices. He wears the blue and gold armor of royalty over a dark blue spandex suit with white gloves and boots, and she wonders if he is the King of his race. He has high, pronounced cheekbones and dark, black eyes that survey them all like insects. If not for the deep scowl and the way his eyebrows draw down in an intimidating glare, she might have considered him handsome.

The only female among them follows closest to the leader, wearing a distinctly bored expression; her long, black hair almost reaching her elbows. Bulma estimates her to be at the age of sixteen or seventeen; she looks especially young. Her red, gold, and black armor is so revealing it is practically indecent; the only parts of her upper body being covered are her breasts, and a tiny, metal skirt covering her waist down to her upper thigh. Her entire torso and back show, and Bulma wonders how it is even considered armor. She has black, fingerless gloves that reached her elbows and tall, knee high black boots that are outlined in gold. Her brown tail flicks behind her, occasionally slapping one of the men that follows behind her, to which he scowls and slaps it out of the way and she turns and grins wickedly at him, her eyes glinting with some kind of permanent mischievousness.

The two men that bring up the rear are massive. Both of them tower over the other two Saiyans, their thighs probably as round as Bulma's torso. One of them has long, spiky brown hair that reaches his knees, adorned in brown and black armor with red bands around his biceps, and he is the one that has to deal with the girl's tail slapping his knee. The other is bald with a thin, black mustache, choosing black and gold armor.

"La'ak toh frah." The leader says to Margit in a foreign tongue, his words rough and coarse, his voice deep. Bulma is not used to not being able to understand languages ever since she had the chip implanted in her head (she had decided that that was the only logical explanation for everything making sense after the aliens that abducted her knocked her out). Margit nods her fat head to the Saiyan, spreading her arms out to the assortment of slaves before them with a proud smile on her face.

"U'uk sreight yana'an." Margit responds, her words as deep and guttural as the man's had been. The leader nods, his black, expressionless eyes roving over the crowd of apprehensive slaves, each crossing their fingers and hoping not to be chosen by the primal Saiyans that stand before them.

The girl's eyes lift and finally search the crowd, a small smirk on her lips. Her dark eyes, the exact same shade as the leader's, rest on Bulma, and the Earthling stiffens apprehensively as the smirk on the girl's face deepens. "Vegeta! That one looks like us." The girl says, speaking in a language that Bulma can understood, and, to Bulma's horror, reaches out and points directly at her.

The leader, Vegeta, swivels his head around, his eyes resting on Bulma, who breaks out in a nervous sweat and tries not to look afraid. What if they choose her? What if all they want is someone to kill? A pet? The Saiyan lifts a white-gloved hand and motions her forward. Obediently, for death would answer her if she disobeyed, Bulma shuffles forward, kicking up little dust balls around her feet. She tries to look weak and insignificant, shrinking away from his hateful gaze and plastering a stupid expression on his face, hoping that he actually wants someone of moderate intelligence.

Vegeta circles her, and Bulma can't shake the feeling that she is the prey to this beast. He pokes her shoulder and she flinches, not expecting the contact, and his tail flickes out, touching her skin. The fur is coarse and not at all like the soft coats of the pets like the cat that had perched on her father's shoulder. Fear is beginning to crawl up her spine and make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. What if all they want is a toy? The intimidating man reaches forward in a flash and suddenly his hand is fisted in her hair, pulling her neck back. Bulma bites her lip, refusing to whimper or allow herself to cry, as Vegeta closely inspects the details of her face, and he turns his nose up and takes a deep, quick sniff.

"We'll take her." Vegeta says finally, his low voice sounding bored, and Bulma wants to cry. He places his hand against the small of her back and pushes her forward roughly, leading her away from the compound and away from the pitying eyes that are now resting on Bulma from the other slaves. She shivers, the dread creeping its icy tendrils up her body and making her severely close to panicking. The girl and the other two men follow, the girl smirking devilishly and the two men remaining expressionless.

"Wait!" Margit calls after them, her thick voice sounding strained, as if she is trying to jog after them. Bulma isn't sure, for when she tries to turn and look, Vegeta's hand suddenly becomes stone-like and refuses her any motion. "You didn't pay! She's a valuable one, good age, and just because you're a damned Elite doesn't mean you get 'er for free!"

"Oh," says Vegeta, his voice dangerous, "we won't be paying." He smiles, an evil, terrifying thing, and Bulma can see that the tips of his canines are sharp and pointed like an animal's. She shivers unconsciously, wondering why Margit is still trying to follow them. Did she not feel the tension that was settling in the air; the crackling of electricity coming from the Saiyan as his impatience grew?

"I need that money, Sir! I need it!"

The hand that had been steering her away from the slave camp releases her for a moment, and before Bulma can blink, the Elite has turned, lifted his palm, and sent a laser-like beam from his very hand towards Margit. The fat woman pauses as the beam comes in contact with her skin, her eyes wide, and then she falls, slapping into the ground with a grotesque noise, the scent of stinking flesh filling Bulma's nose and making her gag. She looks back at her former owner and screams, seeing only half of what was once a perfectly alive being, the rest of her obliterated by the laser.

Vegeta grips her arm again and squeezes tightly, making Bulma whimper in pain. He leans forward so that his mouth is right next to her ear, so that she can feel his hot breath, stinking of blood, sweat, and smoke, as he whispers, "You better get used to it." And then he shoves her forward, only pulling back when Bulma nearly connects with the dirt. He continues steering her towards their spacecraft, which looms in the distance like a giant bug, it's gray, steel hull shining in the brilliant sunlight, resting on four legs and waiting for the return of it's owners like an obedient dog.

_Oh God, they're going to kill me, I'm going to die_, Bulma thinks frantically, too frightened to try and escape Vegeta's tight grasp. She had not thought of death since the raid on Earth and now remembers the terrible feeling of possibly breathing her last, of possibly ceasing from existence. The feeling is not quite as bad as the first time, but the horror is still there; the hopelessness of not being able to control her own fate.

The girl takes up the lead, showing a dark tattoo on her lower back where Bulma would've, on Earth, called a tramp stamp. It is of an anchor-looking design, and for a moment Bulma wonders of its meaning. Just above the tattoo, her brown, thick tail protrudes from her flesh like a separate limb, flicking behind her as if it has a mind of its own. The other Elites' kept their tails wrapped around their torsos, but the young teen seems to enjoy waving it around behind her. Bulma does not miss the criss-crossed lashes that seemed to decorate her back, either, scarring her skin permanently. She is used to dealing with the scars of a whipping, as Margit had been fond of the whip, and could identify them easily, having been forced to treat some of the wounds when Margit had gotten a little too overzealous. Azuki's back is so decorated with inflamed scars that it appears she had been whipped a good amount of times, and Bulma wonders why.

"Azuki!" Vegeta snaps, and the girl turns and folds her arms over her chest.

"What, brother?" She asks, her voice deceptively silky and soft. Bulma is not shocked, she can now see the resemblances; the hair, the nose structure, the chin, the eyes, even the way she crosses her arms over her chest. Azuki sticks out her tongue at Vegeta, a very childlike action that shocks Bulma, considering it is coming from a full-fledged killer. Vegeta growls at her like some sort of animal and she smirks, turning…Bulma blinks, and Azuki is gone.

Snapping her head in every direction, Bulma tries to find the location of the girl that had just vanished into thin air. She watches the cloud of dust that had appeared in place of the Saiyan Elite in awe, and decides to keep her question to herself rather than voice something that is undoubtedly stupid.

"She's on the ship."

Bulma whips around to lock eyes with the Saiyan leader, his voice deep and annoyed-sounding. He nods his head towards their craft with a roll of his eyes, at least five hundred feet away, and Bulma follows his eyes, just in time to see Azuki make a terrific leap, her feet landing on one of the legs of the ship, at least a hundred feet high, and pushing off to propel her even higher into the air until she could claw her fingers into the entrance and flip herself onto the deck. Only a moment after it had happened, the ship begins to hum with life, and a hole opens in it with a platform descending for them to walk upon.

They enter the ship, and only once the landing platform has risen and shut them off from the outer world, Vegeta lets go of her, turning and grinning in a way that sends chills up Bulma's spine. "Welcome home," he says.

Bulma takes a horrified step back and the Saiyan turns, walking deeper into the ship without even sparing her a glance. The two taller man follow, and Bulma is left standing alone in the hall. "Ok, deep breaths, Bulma," she says to herself, squaring her shoulders. "You're going to be ok. You're intelligent, beautiful, and strong, and you'll get through this." And with that, Bulma walks down the direction the Saiyans had taken.

"Gods, I'm hungry. What's wrong with this damned thing?"

"Shut up, Radditz. You're always hungry."

"You're one to talk, Azuki."

Bulma enters a fairly large room with a normal-looking couch, a few wide armchairs, and a red desk set off in the corner. Azuki and the giant with the ridiculously long hair, Radditz, she guesses, are both standing in front of a large TV-looking screen and playing with some of the wires, their backs to her.

Azuki turns, her youthful face resting on Bulma and a grin lighting her features. Her tail unfurled from her waist and pointed at Bulma. "You finally decided to join us, then?" She asks, gaining the attention of Radditz, who turns and smiles, an entirely unconvincing gesture of kindness. Instead, it made him look even more dangerous, even more evil. "Vegeta will be pleased that you didn't attempt to jump off the ship. The last one did that, you know."

"Prince Vegeta's never pleased." Radditz says casually, his voice husky and dangerous. "Unless he's killing something." The giant adds as an afterthought, tilting his head in an expression of thoughtfulness. Bulma stands, her mouth hanging open, dumbfounded by their acts of nonchalance.

"I doubt he's even pleased then," Azuki said, which earns a burst of laughter from her companion, as if killing was something that should merit some kind of excitement no matter the situation. "No need to be shy," says Azuki, beginning to step towards Bulma, her tail swishing behind her. "We won't bite." She smiles devilishly, her pointed canines gleaming in the light, and Bulma wonders if she is being sarcastic.

"Good, you didn't attempt to escape." Bulma bristles at the sound of Vegeta's deep voice as he enters the room, a door in the wall directly in front of Bulma swinging shut. He crosses his arms over his chest and eyes Bulma in a quite belittling way. "We're hungry. Make something."

"What?" Bulma says, cursing herself immediately for sounding so stupid.

"Did I miss something?" Vegeta asks mockingly, swaggering up to her so that his face is only inches from her own. "I do believe that we bought you as a slave. So go and cook us something."

Azuki snickers behind her hand, having already taken over the couch and kicked up her feet on the table in front of it, giving up her and Radditz's attempt to repair the monitor.

"You didn't buy me," Bulma snaps in a not-very-slave-like way, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth, her blue eyes terrified as a feral smirk appears on Vegeta's face due to her comment. One year on Uni and she had not been able to tame her damned mouth, and oh shit he's going to kill her-

He only leans closer, but Bulma refuses to step back, refuses to back down; if she's going to die now she might as well die with some pride.

Vegeta smirks, _smirks, _and both Azuki and Radditz guffaw from behind her. Slowly letting her hands down from her mouth, Bulma tries not to flinch as Vegeta rests both his hands against his hips. "Perhaps you'll last longer than I initially thought."

Her mind working in overdrive, Bulma realizes that, with these people, she might have to prove herself. They had only dealt with brutality their entire life, so perhaps that was how they addressed others and addressed each other. Perhaps, instead of acting weak and pathetic, she should act strong, but still subordinate, because he had just said that would make her last longer, didn't he? Right? Oh, fuck, she didn't want to die, and this man and these Saiyans were being so damned confusing.

"Alright, you've made your little joke," Vegeta continues, leaning closer to her, his smirk widening, "now go make us our meal."

Bulma nods hurriedly but tries not to look frightened, instead opting to place her hands against her hips and stalk out of the room, head held high, through the doorway that Vegeta had entered from…

Only to find herself completely lost in a bathroom. "Wrong way." She hears Azuki snicker, and, not changing her stubborn posture, Bulma marches back into the room.

"Well, you certainly didn't tell me where to go." She says stubbornly, as it is live or die with these people, _live or die, _and its time to take chances. And how good it feels, too, because she is so tired of being perfectly subordinate, perfectly obedient, the perfect little slave. It's time to _live._

Bulma turns to the other female in the room, finding small comfort in the fact that she seems to be the one that finds her antics the most amusing, and notices that the female Saiyan is smirking as her tail lifts to point at a door in the opposite wall. "That way, little one." She says, Radditz grinning beside her_, _situated on the couch. Bulma nods and makes her dramatic exit._  
_

She comes upon a standard kitchen, much like the ones back on Earth, except that there are four fridges. She picks one and opens the contents. Bulma had learned much about cooking the alien food, as Margit had made them cook quite a bit back on Uni. She found an assortment of meat; be it red, blue, green, or purple. Upon searching the rest of the fridge, meat was apparently the only thing that the Elites enjoyed eating. Bulma hefts out the gigantic bag of the red meat; at least she was familiar with this stuff.

There is absolutely nothing extra in the kitchen; nothing that could be used as a poison or anything that could be used to give her a chance to escape.

An hour and several choice words later, Bulma had finally set down their dish of the night on five different plates on a long table in the middle of the kitchen. She finds silverware deep in a drawer below the fridge and sets down a knife and fork next to each plate. When satisfied, she reenters the room that the Elites are all currently holed up (their faces glued to the now fixed TV in a way that almost reminds Bulma of her friends) in and calls, "It's ready," as steadily as she could.

The five Elites come barreling through the door, Radditz in the lead. Vegeta comes in behind him and surveys the food on the table with a disapproving look. "You think this will be enough? Fill the table with food." And he walks out the door they had just come in. The other Saiyans follow him with their tails hanging dejectedly. Bulma watches with her mouth hanging wide open; were they serious?

She sets to work quickly, for if she were too slow she could end up the same way Margit did.

Finally, Bulma finishes and calls the Saiyans for a second time. Radditz, once again, is the first in and he lifted his nose and took a long, drawn out whiff, the others filing in behind them and taking their seats at the table; Vegeta at the head and Azuki on his right. Without a moment's hesitation or a 'thank you', each Saiyan lifts the meat in their bare hands and rips into it with their teeth with ferocious speed. Appalled, Bulma watches, open-mouthed, as they devour the food set before them with Goku-like speed.

She had come to the conclusion that Goku had been a Saiyan long ago. After all, she is a genius.

Silently, Bulma takes her place at the only vacant seat, next to Azuki, who is already halfway finished with her course that Bulma had slaved over two hours. She lifts her fork and cuts into the meat, only able to get the first bite in before Azuki says loudly, "Hey, look, she eats all civilized."

The attention of all the Elites now on her, Bulma quickly swallows her bite and replies, "Yes, well, some of us have to have manners."

Smirking, Azuki replies, "I like her. It's a shame-"

"Azuki," Vegeta cuts in with a warning tone, and Azuki stops speaking, averting her eyes and focusing back on her meal. Deciding that pressing the topic would possibly only get her killed, Bulma focuses back on her meal.

Hearing the chink of cutlery cut into the silence, Bulma looks up, only to see both Azuki and Radditz mockingly making a show of using their knives and forks. Azuki was putting on a dignified face, sitting straighter in her chair and cutting her meat (holding the knife incorrectly) while Radditz says condescendingly, "No, not like that, my dear, you're holding it all wrong. Like this," he says, making a show of changing the position of the fork in his hand and stabbing at his meal. The bald giant makes a disapproving click of his tongue, and Bulma snorts, a very unladylike sound that she had, unfortunately, inherited from her father, and soon all eyes are on her.

"Um, sorry." She says quickly, averting everyone's questioning eyes and looking back at her meal.

"You just can't find dignified help these days," Azuki teases, her voice unnaturally high as she pretended to look down at Bulma. Feeling braver, Bulma scowls at her, knowing all too well that one wrong move and she would receive a fork in her neck. Perhaps if she plays it right, living with the Elites could have more positives than living on the slave world. After all, she was getting a meal at the moment, and it was absolutely amazing, if she didn't say so herself. Especially after having not eaten in a day.

"It has been a long day. Rest." Vegeta commands once his plate is empty and the table is cleared, rising from his seat and turning to Azuki. "Take her to her room." Without another word, Vegeta leaves them, heading for his quarters.

"Follow me," says Azuki, bouncing up and out of her seat, leading Bulma down the hall. The ship is smaller on the inside than it looked on the out, Bulma realizes, as she was led down one hallway and to a door on the end. The door whirred open like in the movies of aliens and futuristic settings that Bulma had watched, and Azuki leads her inside.

It was about the size of the room she had lived in on Uni, but on the slave planet, twenty girls had occupied the little space. In complete awe, Bulma realizes that she got an _entire _room to herself, an entire _bed. _Forgetting about Azuki's presence, she steps inside, sitting on the plush, wonderful bed and sighing in contentment.

"Just to let you know," Azuki says in that permanently suggestive voice of hers, and Bulma snapped to attention, "the feistier you are, the more likely you are to live among us. Vegeta killed the last two for being boring, and the two before that for being quiet. So show a little strength."

Without any more words of advice, Azuki leaves Bulma in her room, alone to her own thoughts.

Enlightened and possibly even relieved at this bit of knowledge, Bulma pulls off her clothing and crawls into bed, the wonderful comfort of it making her fall asleep instantly.

* * *

**A/N: Stuff will get started next chapter :) Hope you like it, and leave a review to tell me what you think! Oh, and Azuki is my OC, because I always wanted there to be a badass female Saiyan. She isn't in the story for the purpose of getting with someone, and she's not a Mary-sue. And I am taking some liberties. As you may have noticed, the Saiyans aren't traveling in pods, but in a ship. Hope you don't mind :)  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks very much to pink-strawberries, rubyne, crazykk2, peachykeen01, Princess Serena Moon, and Kikira-Lynn for reviewing Chapter 1! It's really appreciated :)**

Chapter 2

Bulma sighs as she stares at herself in the vanity of her bathroom, running her fingers through her limp, lifeless hair. She is emaciated; her cheeks sunken in, her clothes hanging limply on her body, her ribs poking through her thin shirt. Three meals a day and a shower every night has helped a bit, but not nearly as much as Bulma would like. She shrugs helplessly and makes her way to the exit of the ship.

In the month that has followed Bulma's purchase, she learns things about her new masters. She learns their traits and their quirks. She learns that Azuki is Vegeta's sister, therefore Princess of the Saiyans, and that she is the most sarcastic, quick-talking, cutting, and outspoken of the Elites. Apparently Azuki is infamous for not following Vegeta's orders and is often punished for it, and Bulma is not surprised. Radditz is her partner in crime, usually right next to Azuki as they jokingly make faces or mock something that another of the crew did (childlike things that fit the pair surprisingly well). A majority of Radditz's jokes have to do with women, sex, or murder, and Bulma winces whenever he says something that implies dirty things to her, but has to smile and nod when he guffaws and says he was only joking. Nappa is like an older, somewhat more experienced version of Radditz. He makes the crude jokes and is just as reckless, but he seems to be able to sense or observe emotions better than Radditz can. The Saiyans will occasionally break into a rough, guttural foreign language when angered or, Bulma suspects, not wanting their slave to know what was being spoken.

Vegeta is the most difficult to figure out, which intrigues Bulma. When he is not scowling or barking orders at her or the other Saiyans, he does not speak. He likes belittling Bulma, however, and Bulma, following Azuki's advice, always has something to say back. When he smirks at her answers, she gets the feeling that he is testing her. She hopes she is passing.

She likes it much better on the ship than on Uni. She has a room to herself and three meals a day (although the meat was getting a bit repetitive, and she has to hide her portion so that the Saiyans will not devour it), the only chore she ever has to do is cook, and she is growing used to the Elites' crude behavior. Sometimes, she finds it hard to remember that they are ruthless murderers, especially when she watches Azuki cuff Nappa upside the head and make a comment on his lack of hair, or Radditz make a joke to which the other Elites laugh good-heartedly, or Nappa pretend to school Azuki on the art of manners, or Vegeta growl good-naturedly at Azuki when she swipes some of his food. They are so human, and Azuki and Radditz often so child-like, that Bulma finds herself doubting that they are really some of Frieza's most ruthless soldiers.

She is horribly reminded of their deadliness when Vegeta says, one morning, "We're coming upon an unoccupied planet and it's time we got some free-ranged training in."

The Elites normally trained in a chamber underneath the main quarters of the ship, but Bulma gets the idea that they normally have to hold back, so as not to blast a hole in the ship and kill them all. Bulma has never watched them train, and has, honestly, not really wanted to.

But Vegeta has different plans, and when she asks to stay behind, he says, "You think I'm leaving you on this ship so you can blast off when we're all occupied? I don't think so. Get your lazy ass out here."

And so, there Bulma is, sitting on a desolate planet with absolutely nothing in sight but dirt and waiting for the Elites to begin their training. None of them are wearing their armor, which Bulma finds odd, but she does not ask. Azuki is in nothing but some black, tight spandex-like shorts and a black wrap that, to Bulma, resembled a sports bra, over her breasts, and the men are in simple shorts and no shirt.

And _oh_, are they fit-

"Can we do a tournament?" Azuki asks, stretching out her body as she leans forward to touch her toes and giving the men full view of her breasts. Radditz smirks and leans forward to get a better view, prompting Azuki to smack him upside the face. She smiles innocently as Radditz yelps and rubs his cheek in surprise.

"Radditz and Nappa will fight, and Azuki will challenge the winner. I will then fight the winner of the second match." Vegeta announces, stepping back and nodding. Bulma is beginning to grow bored and starts inspecting the blood red dirt of the planet when she hears the unmistakable sound of flesh on flesh. She looks up in alarm as the Radditz and Nappa disappear in a flash of color.

Bulma attempts to follow the fight but all she can see of the Elites is the occasional flash of color. Sometimes one slows for a breath, and Bulma sees the blood caking their bodies before they attack again. She glances at Vegeta and Azuki and notices both pairs of midnight eyes following the movements with ease and humphs, trying her best to lock on to the blurs but having no such luck.

In less than ten minutes Radditz smacks into the ground with Nappa looming over him with a grin, both of their clothes torn and blood caking their beaten bodies. Radditz gets up and growls as he stalks to a sitting spot next to Bulma, a slight limp in his step. As he sits next to Bulma, she cannot stop her gasp of shock and bewildered question. "How are you still conscious?" Radditz smirks at her through his split lip and black eye and licks his lips, opening his mouth to say something probably dirty, but Vegeta cuts him off.

"He better be thanking Nappa for holding back on his pathetic ass."

In retaliation Radditz pouts, turning away from a smirking Nappa, laughing Azuki, and scowling Vegeta.

Some moments later Azuki and Nappa square off, and Bulma keeps her eyes closely on them, hoping that she could follow their movements this time. But they disappear in much the same way as before, Azuki wearing a smirk and Nappa with a determined scowl on his normally confident features. The ground underneath them seems to shake with each blow the two fighters make and Bulma is horribly reminded of her frailty compared to the vicious fighters she sits around.

Radditz seems to notice her confusion and begins to speak, his eyes trained on the pair that Bulma cannot see. "Pathetic human, can't even see right. Allow me to explain so your fragile mind can understand the complexities. Azuki's tactics are different than Nappa's," he begins, and Bulma focuses her attention on him, realizing he is going to narrate the battle. "She dodges and evades, rather than attacks. Azuki is the fastest of all of us, even faster than Vegeta." He speaks the last part in a whisper, as if fearing Vegeta's wrath if such a thing were spoken aloud. "Nappa is all physical. Azuki is just dodging his moves, not throwing any punches. She just leaps around him and over him to anger her opponent. Once he is particularly angry he gets careless and less calculating, and then she goes on the offense."

Bulma watches with fascination as the battle slows, slow enough for her human eyes to catch a glimpse of Azuki sliding between Nappa's colossal legs with the ever-present smirk on her face, and then leaping in the air as he swings at her. Her body is suspended, upside down, just above Nappa and she rests her hand on his bald head, pushing off and sending her flying out of the grip of the larger Elite. Then the full battle resumes and Bulma can follow no more.

"What about those laser things that you use to fry stuff?" Bulma asks, having witnessed Azuki use it to cook her meals sometimes when Bulma didn't cook something just right for the picky Saiyan. And the horrifying instant of Vegeta zapping Margit away has not yet left her nightmares.

"You mean ki? When we do tournaments, we go all physical." Radditz explains, wiggling his eyebrows and flexing his arms. "So that Azuki and Vegeta, who have the strongest energy blasts, can't use them to their advantage. And wounds from energy take longer to heal, and we don't want to be particularly injured in case of an attack. Oh, _oh – _that look like it hurt." His eyes have returned to the battle and he seems done with Bulma, so she folds her arms over her chest and goes back to watching the air and catching occasional blurs of color.

"Your race must have been downright pathetic if you cannot even follow a spar."

Bulma looks up at Vegeta, who is standing with his arms crossed and looming over her. She frowns and says, "Some of my friends were really strong, thank you very much. Especially Goku." A wave of homesickness hits her and for a moment she wonders, just considers the possibility that some of them are still alive and slaves like her –

"Hn. I bet they wouldn't last a second with even Radditz."

Bulma scowls and snaps, "Ok Mister High-and-Mighty, take your ego down a notch."

From the corner of her eye she can see Radditz wince, and she knows she has crossed some sort of line. Bulma cringes, expecting to be hit, but instead Vegeta simply says, "Hn. Take your own advice, woman. And don't forget your place."

Before Bulma can respond or catch the bewildered look in Radditz's eyes, the ground shakes beneath them in a tremendous quake and Bulma nearly screams, but it stops as soon as it started. She looks out at the battlefield and sees Azuki floating over a gigantic crater, arms crossed, smirk still there. She waves over at Vegeta and calls out, "Your turn, big brother!"

Some moments later Nappa has pulled himself from the crater with an embarrassed scowl and crawls to the place next to Radditz, nursing an injured arm, and Azuki and Vegeta have engaged in their battle. He is bloody and bruised on every part of his body and Bulma is, for a moment, concerned. "Big boy can't even handle Azuki." Radditz snickers, poking Nappa in the middle of a gigantic bruise, and Nappa winces and then growls warningly at Radditz.

"If I recall correctly, you got your ass handed to you quite a bit faster than I did."

Radditz shrugs, leaning back against the dirt and unfurling his tail so that it flicks lazily next to him, occasionally brushing against Nappa. "Yeah yeah, and I don't have near as much experience as you do, either, old man."

"Shut the fuck up and watch the match. You can take pointers."

Bulma sighs dramatically to get the attention of the other Saiyans, boredom overpowering her and making her sullen. "This is stupid." She complains, frowning.

Radditz turns and smirks, wiggling his eyebrows and says, "Well, if you're bored, I can entertain you." He licks his lips overdramatically and puckers his lips, making kissing noises. Nappa leans over and cuffs him upside the head, and Radditz pouts, teasing, "Fuck, sorry Nappa. Didn't know you wanted your turn first."

Bulma rolls her eyes at the two men and they grin innocently at her. At first, the thought of rape had terrified Bulma. She had been fortunate enough not to have been raped on Uni, as it was against policy, but when she was bought by three men (and one woman) she thought that her rape-less streak would not last much longer. But, much to her surprise and happiness, the closest she had gotten was Radditz's and Nappa's vulgar comments, and the occasional ogling of her breasts by the pair (and occasionally Vegeta, which, for some reason, seemed to boost her confidence).

Nappa and Radditz returned their attention to the fight, their eyes darting to and fro and Bulma asks, "What's going on?"

For a moment they do not answer, but finally Radditz does. "So far, it's pretty evenly matched. But Vegeta is stronger than Azuki. He'll come out the victor."

The ground shakes and Bulma can see little crater-like indentions in the air as she suspects they trade blows. Suddenly, a body streaks downward and lands in Nappa's previous crater. Not even a moment later the other body follows it, and Bulma can just tell that it is Vegeta, crashing into where Azuki's body must be, elbow first. Bulma's hands fly to her face and she is terrified that he could have seriously hurt Azuki, but then she sees the girl standing out of the crater, leaned over, chest heaving. Vegeta emerges from the crater and lands next to her, he, too, breathing heavily. They assess each other for a moment, and then they disappear again.

It takes a full thirty minutes for the match to end. At long last, Azuki is the first to crash into the ground and not move. "Is she alright?" Bulma asks, standing up to inspect Azuki's injuries.

"A quick trip to the rejuvenation tanks and she'll be fine," says Nappa, stretching his injured limbs and flying out to retrieve Azuki's unconscious body.

"Why do you do this? It can't be healthy." Bulma asks Radditz, looking over all of their injuries and bloodied bodies. Even Vegeta is staggering slightly, but he pushes away from Nappa and is the first to enter the ship.

"A Saiyan gets stronger after every beating they take."

Bulma quirks an eyebrow at Radditz, trying to see if he is lying, but he seems sincere. "That sounds convenient."

He smirks and nods in a cocky way, and they follow Nappa and Vegeta up into the ship.

Bulma is not unfamiliar with the rejuvenation tanks. She saw them first after Vegeta commanded her to learn how to use them, and was enthralled by the technology. Oh, how it could have changed Earth's hospitals, it's technology –

But Earth is gone, and she was once again reminded of how primitive Earth had truly been.

* * *

"Fuck."

Bulma stops swiveling on the rotating chair she is perched on and turns to look quizzically at Azuki, who is currently at work on the controls to the ship. Bulma likes to sit in here and watch how the ship works, sometimes, finding the technology fascinating. At first, Vegeta was adamant against it, as he thought she was attempting to learn how to pilot it so she could escape them (which she probably would, if given the chance), so she is never allowed in without an escort.

"Zarbon's boarding. Fucking shit…go tell Vegeta that Zarbon is requesting boarding."

Bulma stood and senses the urgency, so races to the training deck where Nappa, Radditz, and Vegeta are all currently holed up. She has never been inside before so she doesn't know what to expect, but she opens the door anyway and storms down the stairs. She comes upon a pure white room, with white walls, white floor, and white ceiling. Bulma screams (she does not need super speed vision to see Nappa barreling towards her) and tries to duck, but she is not fast and knows he is going to crash into her and his huge body will probably crush her flat as a pancake –

Vegeta is suddenly there, in front of her, and he smashes Nappa to the floor with one fist. "Watch where you're going, idiot." He snarls at Nappa, who is on the floor and rubbing his head with a bewildered expression. Vegeta then turns to Bulma and snaps, "Are you as stupid as you look? What do you want, woman?"

Suddenly remembering her reason for coming, Bulma says quickly, "Azuki said Zarbon is requesting boarding."

For a moment Vegeta's face turns to one of momentary bewilderment, then rage, and he storms past Bulma and up the stairs.

"Did you say Zarbon?" Radditz asks from his position across the room, sweat pouring down his face. Bulma nods, and Radditz shakes his head quickly with a muttered, "Fuck."

"Who's Zarbon?" Bulma asks as Radditz brushes past her, having already picked up a towel and crossed the room. He swipes the towel over his face and shakes his head, leaving Bulma to trail after him and Nappa. She can only wonder who this Zarbon is and why he's making the normally confident Elites seem so uneasy.

* * *

**A/N: I wasn't really satisfied with this chapter, but I hope you guys like it. As you may have noticed, Bulma is kind of comfortable around the Saiyans now. In order for the story to progress, I had to go ahead and make them ok with each other, and it wouldn't have been much fun with Bulma sulking around and scared of her shadow, not to mention a bit out of character.**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Zarbon is fucking beautiful, Bulma realizes. He has perfect, smooth-looking blue skin, with a green braid of hair that looks so soft and silky that she wants ever-so-badly to just step forward and run her fingers through it over and over and over. He wears Frieza's armor with a blue cape and cultural-looking leggings and sleeves, and a headband of some sort with matching earrings. He is the most gorgeous thing Bulma has ever laid eyes on and she is seriously considering just getting it over with and asking him to fuck her right here and now, and she'll be _his _slave any day –

Until he turns his eyes on her.

They are yellow and cold and calculating and there is something entirely evil about them, and he smirks as his eyes rove up and down her body without any kind of reserve, and Bulma is suddenly immensely glad that she is next to three extremely powerful Saiyans.

"Nice specimen," Zarbon comments as if speaking of the weather, his devil eyes still searching Bulma's face for something that she is sure isn't there.

"I _can _understand you, you know." She snaps, folding her arms over her chest and resisting the urge to shrink behind Radditz when Zarbon simply smirks and steps forward. He caresses her face and _oh_ are his hands soft –

"Back off, Zarbon." Azuki growls, and Zarbon lets his hand drop, grinning at Azuki. Bulma blinks as if breaking out of a trance.

"Getting a little protective, are we? Tsk tsk, that isn't good."

"What do you want? State your business and get the fuck out." Vegeta finally speaks, his tone darker than Bulma has ever heard it. His eyes are stormy and violent, and Bulma feels a shiver of fear run up her spine. "The slave is ours for the moment and you will not come in here just to mess with its head."

_Its_? That was rude. But Bulma keeps her mouth shut, sensing the tenseness in the room.

"Hm. For now. Frieza requested that I come find you since you're monitor seems to be having trouble picking up his messages." Zarbon casts a disdainful eye at the screen in the room that Azuki and Radditz had been tampering with for the past month. "He wished for me to make sure you monkeys haven't been getting any ideas. And you are to purge Planet Unakye on your way back to the mother ship. I do hope it doesn't give you any problems."

Vegeta bares his teeth and Radditz and Nappa quickly follow suit, but Azuki just says, "Silly Zar-Zar. You know it wont be a problem for us. You can run back to Frieza and play pet; I'd hate for your hair to get dirty. You might even get to pleasure him for a few minutes and get a good fuck in, if you're good."

For a moment, Zarbon's eyes flash, but then he goes back to his calm expression a moment later as if nothing has happened. He smiles lazily at Azuki and responds, "I'm pleased to hear it."

"What a jerk." Bulma says the moment the blue-skinned man has left and the room is free of the previous tension.

Azuki turns to look at her and grins mischievously. "A gorgeous jerk."

Bulma lifts a finger to her chin as if in deep thought, and finally says, "True."

"Cease your foolish chatter," Vegeta snaps, and after he turns Azuki rolls her eyes at Bulma. Bulma suppresses her giggle and acts innocent when Vegeta turns at the noise, his eyes dark. "Set a course for Unakye, but make a stop at the nearest market planet first. We need supplies, and I want to get something for this damned monitor."

Nappa salutes and exits to the control room, and Azuki lays across Radditz's lap, who had sat on the couch some moments before. "Vegeta, Unakye – "

"I know," Vegeta cuts her off immediately, stopping her thoughts.

Azuki frowns at his brashness and her face changes for a moment, then she says, "_Ilrik tu yuran._"

Something in Vegeta's gaze softens at the sound of his planet's tongue, and he seems to relax. "_Ke snah."_

Bulma crosses her arms and pouts; she hates when they speak in a language that she cannot understand. It makes her feel stupid and inferior…but she is inferior. She is the slave.

Radditz joins the conversation, saying, "_Tre shrute unaan rekta snie."_

Vegeta nods in response and Bulma makes an audible sigh. He turns and observes her with a raised eyebrow, and she defends herself by saying, "What? It's annoying when I have no idea what you're talking about."

Vegeta snorts and leaves the room, and Bulma turns to Azuki, who shrugs. "Don't expect him to ever be in a good mood, because you'll always be disappointed." She says with a smirk.

"I noticed." Bulma plops down on the couch next to Radditz and Azuki and regards the broken monitor with her technical eye. She could fix it…she could do it…but it would probably mean the deaths of millions if she was able to fix the thing so that Frieza could send them messages on which planets to obliterate. No. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't.

And hey, if it meant more visits by the beautiful (hideous) Zarbon, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

"We're landing. Strap in." Nappa says as his fingers dance lightly over the controls. They are all crowded in the control room, all four of them, and Bulma pulls the strap over her body and clicks it in place, her knuckles gripping the armrests of her seat. She has not landed before, and her heart pumps with excitement and thrill as Vegeta and Azuki lean back with bored expressions.

The ship dips – Bulma inhales sharply (the craftsmanship, the brilliance) – and flattens out again before it touches down on the landing pad with a wonderful smoothness but anticlimactic landing that makes Bulma question why they had to strap in in the first place. She unbuckles and Vegeta rises and turns towards her. "You. Come with me."

Excitement bubbles in Bulma. She has not been out of the ship in a month and _oh _how she wants to see another planet, see the aliens and life forms and their lifestyle and if she had a notepad she would definitely be taking notes.

They exit the ship, just she and Vegeta, and Bulma is instantly deflated at the sight of the planet. Is a heap of dirt, kind of like Uni had been, except the land is decorated with all sorts of stalls and has children and adults alike running through the streets of the town they have landed in. Houses decorate the pathways, too, and Bulma is startled at the diversity of the people. All manners of skin color and size and _that _one doesn't have any eyes –

"Why did you just want me to come?" Bulma asks, trotting to catch up to Vegeta, who is walking down the path with all the stalls at a ridiculously quick pace. Bulma cannot help but notice the furtive glances they are receiving, and the way people seem to shrink back from them, and the way Vegeta's tail is not curled around his torso, but free and waving behind him and the eyes of the natives settle on that tail and widen in fear and understanding.

"Azuki takes too fucking long shopping, Nappa is an idiot and can't find anything I instruct him to locate, and Radditz gets sidetracked trying to find women to fuck. I need you to keep an eye out for food stalls – anything that looks edible, but nothing that is yellow or smells sweet – and anything that looks like it could fix the monitor to you. I want to make this fast, and I hope your idiotic brain can handle those instructions."

"Hmph," says Bulma, tossing her hair, "you're just jealous of my intelligence." Vegeta snorts and rolls his eyes as he stops at a stall to begin speaking with a barterer in a tongue that she cannot identify.

She is struck by the outright _trust _he is displaying in her, by placing his back to her and speaking to someone without paying attention to anything she is doing-

And she bolts.

Bulma does not even remember having the actual urge to _run_, but once she starts she does not hesitate to stop. The stalls flash by her in a whir of color and her only conscious thought is _freedom, oh how I need freedom_. She can only hope to get a head start and pray that he does not turn around or notice her absence for a long while because there is no possible way she can outrun the Elite, and oh if he finds her he'll kill her and what was she thinking, what was she thinking doing this he'll never forgive her, she'll never escape -

"Psst, girl, come in here." Bulma snaps to attention to see an elderly woman with pale, purple eyes, antennas, and green skin gesture to her, motioning for her to enter the clay house that she stands in. Without a moment's hesitation, Bulma darts inside, the woman shutting the door behind her quickly. Bulma finds herself in an utterly bare, tiny room, with the only light coming from the windows.

The stranger hurriedly shutters all the windows, casting the both of them into darkness, and Bulma leans against the wall, sliding to the floor. "We get runaway slaves in here all the time," the woman says as she moves about, making sure to make it impossible for anyone to spot them. "I'm not heartless; I usually help them until their Masters give up and leave. Slavery is wrong, deary, very wrong."

"Thank you," Bulma says in-between her panting breaths. She had been extremely fortunate to happen upon someone so kind, and she wishes to express it as best she can, but can't seem to think of the appropriate words. "I'll do anything, get you anything – "

"No need, missy, no need," says the stranger, kindly waving off any suggestion that Bulma attempts to make as she peers through the blinds in the window. "It's nothing."

A long silence passes in which Bulma leans against the clay wall of the woman's home and regains her breath. Just when she thinks that perhaps her luck has changed and Vegeta has left without her, thinking her not worth the trouble, the green-skinned alien gasps, backing away from the window with the undeniable look of pure terror etched on her face. "You," she says, pointing an accusatory finger at Bulma, "y-you didn't say your master was a…a Saiyan!"

"I-I-" Bulma stutters, but the woman cuts her off, throwing her hands in the air.

"Get out!" She shrieks, the fear making her practically insane. "Get out of my home! Don't you know they can _smell _you?"

As if to prove her point, the door smashes open and flies off its hinges, colliding into the wall opposite of Bulma. Both women scream and Bulma lunges across the room, trying to get away from her captor and out of his range of sight.

"I swear I did not know she was yours, she lied to me, she lied!" The woman that had previously been so kind is screaming, her shrill voice piercing the ears of Bulma and making it easy to spot her in the wreckage. Vegeta has her pinned against the wall, his white-gloved fingers around her throat and lifting her off the ground. The woman's feet kick in the air desperately as she pleads for forgiveness.

"No!" Bulma screams, throwing herself against Vegeta and pounding his armored back, trying to claw at his skin and oh he was going to kill her if she didn't do anything she was going to die. "Don't kill her!"

Vegeta snarls and with one easy _squeeze_, the woman's neck snaps. He carelessly tosses her lifeless body to the ground and turns to Bulma, who is screaming in terror at the woman's body (so simple, so easy, and she is dead). She turns hateful eyes on Vegeta and tries to hit him again, but he easily catches her wrist and sends her flying into the ground. His dark, deathly eyes flash and Bulma backpedals across the floor, her back coming in contact with the wall and whimpering in fear.

"Get back to the fucking ship or I will kill you where you sit." Vegeta growls, his body tense and his hand glowing with the promise of a laser to fry her body, becoming one of his victims in the growing list of thousands.

"Do it!" Bulma snaps. "Do it like you killed her!"

Vegeta makes a crazed bark of a sound and reaches down – Bulma flinches, thinking he would snap her throat as easily as he had the other, and wondering why she had been stupid enough to think he wouldn't and _this is it_ – but his fist instead buries itself into her hair, heaving her up and making her shout in pain. She grabs his wrist and tries to pull his fingers out of her hair, but he only swings his strong arm and throws her out the door, sending her flying into the busy street. Bulma's face connects with the path and she inhales some of the sick dirt, coughing and attempting to get to her feet. Before she can even pull herself to her knees, Vegeta appears at her side and grabs her forearm.

Bulma kicks out and screeches her hate for the man that drags her in the dirt behind him. She screams and cries and tries to claw and tear at his hands, but to no avail, only gaining much attention from the onlookers that passed them in the streets. Vegeta does not spare a glance at her, only silently dragging her in the dirt behind him, kicking up a little storm of dust in his wake. She had been so close, so close to freedom and getting away from all the death and _starting over._

He only releases her when they get to the ship and in the room with the broken monitor, gaining the attention of Azuki, Radditz, and Nappa. They all stand from where they had been relaxed on the couch as Vegeta throws Bulma to the ground, only to lean down and wrap his fingers around her throat, lifting her into the air and sending her flying across the room, slamming into the wall. Bulma cries out as she hears a definite crack as her shoulder connects with the desk first, crashing in a heap to the ground. She screams as Vegeta advances towards her again, grabbing her arm and squeezing so tightly that she can already feel the bruise forming there. He pulls her forward so that she has to stare into his eyes and seethes, "You will never outsmart me." Bulma whimpers, turning her face away from his and catching the dumbstruck eyes of Azuki, who is standing in front of the couch and watching the scene unfold with shocked eyes. Frightened to make an outright plea, Bulma attempts to beg for help with her eyes, the tears now falling freely.

Vegeta, angry at her loss of attention to him, slams her into the wall and pulls her back towards him in one quick motion. The pain in her shoulder maximizes and her back feels like it is on fire. "Do you understand?" He shouts, only becoming angrier when Bulma's flying hands connect with his face and scratch his skin. With a roar he slams her into the wall again, ignoring her screams, and he rears back his fist, so _so _angry that he can't even think straight –

"Vegeta."

The abnormally stern voice of Azuki snaps him out of his actions, and he turns his hateful eyes on his sister, baring his fangs at her for interrupting him. She does not flinch, as she never did (memories of her dark eyes, of her easy smile, of his hatred for her ability to not take things seriously, when Frieza would beat the shit out of her for talking back, or the time when he nearly killed her after she got the tattoo of the Saiyan insignia on her back, of the way her teeth would only flash when Vegeta screamed at her, when he took out her hatred on her, when he beat her into a bloody pulp to take out his frustrations, and she would just _smile_), and shakes her head.

"Vegeta, you're going to kill her. Let her go."

"She tried to escape." Vegeta grounds out, as if trying to justify his actions, for he does not like the way that she was disapprovingly looking at him. Doesn't like it at all.

"Then wouldn't the best punishment be forcing her to stay with us? And she couldn't very well do that dead, could she?"

Vegeta stares at his sister for a long time, barely hearing the whimpering of the human caught in his claws. After a tense moment, he releases his grip, and Bulma falls to the ground in a bloody heap.

"Get out," Azuki snaps, and Bulma obeys, scampering into her quarters and slamming the door shut behind her. She crawls forward, sobbing loudly and unashamedly, and settles herself into the far corner of her room, not having the energy to pull herself onto her bed. She clutches her shoulder and whimpers, shutting her eyes and wishing that she had never even tried to escape in the first place. Why had she been so stupid? Had she actually thought she could get away from a Saiyan?

Some time later – minutes, hours, days? – the door opens and Bulma nearly screams, flinching away from the light and only relaxing when she identifies the intruder as Azuki. The young Elite throws something at her, and it rolls on the carpet towards Bulma; a white, thin bottle. "Rub it on your wounds. It will help." Azuki says, her dark voice startling Bulma. She had never heard her sound so serious before. "I wouldn't risk showing your face and paying a trip to the regen tanks. Don't think you'll be let out of your room for a while. And don't do it again."

Azuki turns, heading for the door, but not before Bulma manages out a strained, "Thank you."

The Elite pauses, turning her young face towards the weaker human, and nods. "Don't expect it again. _I _get punished for an outright disrespect of my superior, you know." Azuki's face darkens, and Bulma feels a shiver of fear go up her spine at the uncharacteristic look.

The full weight of Azuki's words only sink in after the Elite had left, shutting the door behind her with the _click _of a lock being set, trapping Bulma inside. Only after she leaves does Bulma truly feel ashamed.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I just want to say thank you for all the kind reviews! You guys have no idea how much they make me smile and inspire me to write more :D**

Chapter 4

_The woman is not worth it_, thinks Vegeta vehemently as he pulls off his gloves. He had not expected her to run, really, and now that he thinks back on it, he is not really sure why. Why had he put so much trust in her? She's a damned slave, and they are all the same: they all want freedom.

If it were his choice, he would kill her for her disobedience. But he is so damned sick of making trips to slave worlds and picking slaves that are all dead on the inside and out – he actually found one with a little fire to maybe give Frieza hell, and she has to go and make a run for it. Leaving her alive hurts his pride a bit, but he will have to deal with it for now.

It doesn't exactly help that he is sexually attracted to her, either. Humanoid females are a rare sight to behold, and the sight of one that looks so similar to a Saiyan is having negative effects on his body. He can ignore it easily, however, so it is no problem for him.

But _now _he has to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't run for it, and they have to purge a damn planet and he can't exactly leave her on the ship, for he is fairly certain she is more intelligent than she lets on and could easily pilot it when they are busy. So he has to take her down to the planet, which means he has to make sure she isn't killed, which means he could be distracted and get injured himself. The planet that Frieza has sent them to is definitely a punishment, as well, for it homes one of the more stronger races in the universe.

Vegeta rubs his temple and frowns deeply; he'll just have to take her down to the planet, not put his life at risk to protect her but at least make an effort, and if she dies they'll just have to stop at the next nearest slave planet. He can't be picky about the next one if she perishes, either, for his pickiness before has cost them time and earned a punishment. Hell, he isn't even sure if Radditz can survive this planet. But Radditz will, because Azuki will not let him die.

Vegeta scoffs; when they were younger he had naturally assumed that Azuki had not been given the trait of most Saiyan females: an almost insane desire to protect her allies. If a Saiyan female senses that her ally is in danger, they go on a lethal rampage, gaining an incredible jump in power and slaughtering everything that threatens said ally. Vegeta assumes that they were given this power because Saiyan females were naturally weaker, and he had always assumed that Azuki would not have the trait, as she had always been much stronger than the average Saiyan female due to her royal blood, not to mention she had not shown much need to protect, as she was more like the males of the Saiyan race minus her catty attitude. But on one of their more dangerous purge missions when they were younger Radditz had gone down, and Azuki had exploded with raw power and destroyed more of the planet's inhabitants in ten seconds than Vegeta and Nappa combined had on the whole purge.

It is a useful little trick that has (though he would never admit it) gotten him out of a few sticky situations, but Vegeta is glad he does not have the weakness.

Vegeta sighs and rubs his temples; this shit is getting unbearable. If he has to deal with Frieza's bullshit for much longer…hmph. Vegeta frowns down at his gloves sitting on the table, which are red with the blood of his sister, and inspects the undersides of his fingernails, which are also stained. He growls in annoyance and leans over the sink once more, trying to scrub and scrub but the damned blood _won't come off_, and the image of his sister's grinning face as he rammed his fist against it is planted in his head. Damned Azuki and her mind tricks. One day…one day he'll just kill her so he doesn't have to deal with her disobedience and smirks and snarky comments and annoying looks. One day.

He won't kill her.

The thought bothers him.

"She's your sister, man. Your fucking sister," said one of Frieza's lackeys when he watched Vegeta punish Azuki so long ago. He had, of course, later killed the man for daring to open his mouth and voice his thoughts to the Saiyan Prince, but his words still remained.

Your fucking sister.

Your only family that you have left.

He remembers retrieving Azuki from the torture chambers after the tattoo incident. She didn't speak for weeks. She didn't move for days. And when she finally broke out of her reverie on a purging mission, she killed everything in sight with a frighteningly intense ruthlessness and primal savagery that Vegeta had not seen her display before.

"Heard she's the master of torture." The rumors circulate her, creating a slightly terrifying image that almost rivals Vegeta's. It is true. She is the interrogator. Because she has a way with pain and a way with mind tricks and a way with her hands. She has a way.

Your fucking sister.

He'll have to take the slave down to the planet.

* * *

Bulma leans back and closes her eyes, letting the water wash away the dirtiness that seems to stick to her skin and won't go away. It is always there, clinging to her like a disease that has no cure and she just wants to be clean for once, just wants to be clean like she was on Earth. Bulma just wants to be clean.

She steps out of the shower and wraps a plush towel around her body (these Saiyans know how to live) and walks bare-footed to her room, relishing the coldness of the tiles underneath her feet. She opens the door to her quarters to get a change of clothes –

And promptly screams when she comes face-to-face with none other than the dark eyes of Vegeta.

It has been a week since her failed escape attempt and a week since she has stepped foot outside her room, and she has not had any contact with any of the Saiyans since, except for when the door is opened a crack and a meal is thrown to her.

"I'm naked, you jerk!" All manner of fear and possible quietness flies out the window as Bulma realizes the state of her undress – thank Kami she stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around herself. Vegeta just smirks, leaning back against the door to her room with his arms crossed over his chest and a lazy predatory gaze set on her.

His eyes do not stray from her face. Damned self-control.

"Your point?" He asks, and if Bulma did not know better, she'd say he sounded almost playful.

"My point?" Bulma shrieks, stubbornness refusing to let her turn around and flee, so she steps around him and towards her dresser, turning to glare at him again. "My point is that where _I _come from, we are civilized human beings and we do not barge in on people when they are in the nude! It's indecent!"

Well," says Vegeta, unfolding his arms and taking a step towards her, "on my planet, nudity was not a problem. We are not embarrassed at our bodies; it is our natural states."

"You're such a liar," Bulma hisses, fishing in her drawer and coming up with a pair of shorts, and in an entirely ungraceful way tries to slip them on without letting the towel show anything indecent. "You just want to come in and get a nice little peep show – "

And suddenly he is _there_, he is standing inches from her face and his eyes finally break away from her face to rove over her body with absolutely no reserve, but it is not in the same way that Zarbon did it, there is so much more heat and fire and Bulma is not entirely sure what to think –

Vegeta smirks. "You need some more exercise."

Bulma splutters in an undignified manner and her face begins to redden. "How dare – I'll have you know you can see my _ribs _– fat, fat my ass – "

"Yes, your ass is rather fat, but enough of this discussion – "

"FUCK YOU!"

"Sorry, but I don't fuck fat little fucks like you – "

"You are the most vulgar, arrogant, conceited man I have _ever_ met, not to mention disgustingly hideous –"

"Hideous, am I? Is that why you care so much on what I think of your appearance?"

"I am a _woman_ – "

"Are you?"

" – and women tend to care about what men think – "

"Do they?"

"Ugh, I think I'll kill myself soon just to escape you're presence!"

"Please do, it will spare me the annoyance of having to babysit your sorry ass."

"_You're _the one that wanted me, you prick!"

By now the two are so close to each other that their noses are almost touching. Bulma has pulled on some shorts but abandoned the task of pulling over a shirt, still holding the towel against her, her face red from screaming while Vegeta is just smirking, his face passive and his arms crossed over his chest.

"I suppose I did, didn't I?" Vegeta finally admits after a long silence, his voice soft and low, and Bulma can even feel his breath on her face. He turns and begins to leave the room, but stops at the doorway and turns. "You'll be coming down to Unakye with us, and you better hope to every god you believe in that you survive this. I'm not leaving you on the ship alone." Bulma blinks in temporary confusion at the sudden change in topic, and before she can protest, Vegeta begins to speak again, slowly moving out of the room, "And by the way, I wasn't lying. On Vegetesai, women really did walk around naked." He smirks one last time and slams the door shut behind him.

It doesn't lock.

Bulma screams in agitation, ripping off her towel and throwing it on the ground before stomping over to the shirt she had previously pulled out before their screaming match. She wrestles it over her head and pouts as she loudly trudges to the door, swinging it open as furiously as she can and taking a step out of the room.

Azuki looks up at her, smiles, and waves as she strolls by Bulma's room. Bulma starts to splutter in shock. Azuki is completely and utterly naked, her hair still damp from what must have been a shower.

Vegeta, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, grins and seems to have no problem with this nudity. "Point proven."

She crosses her arms over her chest and sticks out her tongue. Stupid Saiyans.

Vegeta leaves for a moment, then returns with a chunk of raw meat sticking out of his mouth and mumbles, "Come here," through his teeth. She sticks her head high in the air and follows him to his room, which is down a hallway that breaks away from the monitor room. His and Azuki's rooms are down this hall, while Radditz' and Nappa's are by Bulma's in a hallway that is closer to the control room.

Bulma has not been in Vegeta's room before, and it is not that impressive. A single bed, one cupboard, bare walls, and a bathroom. In fact, it looks exactly like her own room. He walks over to the closet and swings the door open, revealing rows and rows of the same type of blue, white, and gold armor he always wears. Vegeta picks out one and throws it at Bulma. "Put it on. It may help you survive a few hits."

"This is ridiculous," says Bulma, holding the stretchy armor out in front of her in disdain. "I'm going to die."

"Good."

She turns to glare at Vegeta, then pulls the armor over her head without breaking eye contact with him. He smirks slightly, then turns away from her to pull out some boots and gloves and throws them at her. Bulma pulls them on, refusing to allow the fear to get to her and knowing that, surely, the Saiyans will not let her die. She is a good, valuable slave…right? Another set of clothing flies at her and Bulma catches it on pure instinct, blinking at the parka in confusion. It is almost blindingly white and lined on the inside with some type of fur that, when Bulma touches it, is almost to-die-for soft...

"Unakye is an ice planet. Put it on. It might make you blend in with the snow, as well."

Bulma pulls on the parka over her new armor, asking, "Shouldn't you be putting one on, then?"

"Saiyans have a higher body heat than humans."

"Then why do you have this?"

"Frieza issues it to all separate spacecrafts."

"Prince Vegeta!" Radditz calls from the other room, making both Bulma and Vegeta stare at the door leading to the hallway in con. "The monitor is working. Do you wish to hear details of our mission?"

There is a moment where Vegeta closes his eyes and almost looks tired, but the moment passes just as quickly as it came and Vegeta marches past Bulma, back into the monitor room. "Play it," he commands, Bulma right on his heels, and stands next to Azuki. All four Saiyans are crowded in front of the monitor (Azuki now with her armor on), and there is a kind of tension in the room that Bulma does not, at first, understand.

Radditz presses a button on the remote and the monitor comes to life, showing a picture of a pure white planet floating in the dark expanse of space. It seems to zoom in and the monitor shows the planet as if they were flying over the terrain, and there is nothing but mountains and ice and snow. "Unakye, the ice planet," a calm, detached woman's voice says. "Home to the Morakay race; low intelligence, primal technology, no spoken language recorded." Here a picture of the race is shown; a beast-like creature with long, white fur, beady black eyes, and no mouth. It reminds Bulma of the myth of the Yeti back on Earth. Azuki snorts and mutters, "Brutes," and Nappa shushes her as the voice continues to speak. "Your mission: Locate the resistance leader: Nuyaki Moshoti," a picture flashes on the screen of a humanoid looking man with graying hair, hard features, and a snarl, "and detain, question on whereabouts of headquarters of the resistance, and purge planet of all other inhabitants. There are two facilities on the planet on the north and south poles where he may be. Moshoti must be captured alive and kept alive until either information is gathered or he is delivered to Lord Frieza. Planet Unakye may then be destroyed." The screen fuzzes a little, and then goes black.

For a few moments, there is nothing but silence, until Radditz mutters, "Fucking shit."

"How could Zarbon keep something so fucking important to himself?" Azuki snarls.

"He wanted us to be punished," Vegeta responds calmly, turning to glare at his younger sister. "Are you surprised?"

"What's the big deal? So you have to find someone," says Bulma in annoyance at being forgotten, and all eyes turn to harshly glare at her.

"Once again you open your mouth to prove your stupidity," snaps Vegeta.

"The big deal is that now we have to be careful of who we kill and spend time looking for this man and sneaking around instead of doing genuine purging. And sneaking around is fucking annoying, not to mention even more dangerous." Azuki says before Bulma is able to snap back at Vegeta.

Bulma glances back at the monitor, envisioning the face of the man who is on the planet they are currently about to go down to. Head of the resistance. There was resistance? Fighting Frieza? And what if they found him…what if she was about to be a part of ending any hope for saving thousands of other races and putting an end to Frieza's tyrannical reign? Bulma shudders. But Bulma made a promise to herself, to herself and to Yamcha one year ago. She will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And currently, staying with the Saiyans is her best bet for protection.

"Azuki and Radditz will go to the southern end of the planet and search that facility," says Vegeta, his eyes closed in concentration. Radditz would need either he or Azuki to protect his ass, and he wanted to have an eye on their slave, so it would have to be his sister. "Nappa, you and I will take the northern facility." Nappa and Radditz nod in agreement.

"What about me?" asks Bulma, looking at Vegeta, who doesn't even spare her a glance.

"You will come with me."

Azuki folds her arm across her chest and her tail begins to lash behind her in agitation. "We can't split up! This race is too powerful for us to do that, Vegeta, and there are too many of them!"

"We _will _split up, and if you to decide to pull what happened on Tera again I will leave your fucking ass on this planet, you understand?" Vegeta snarls, drawing himself to his full height, his tail unfurling as well as his eyes darken at his sister. Radditz and Nappa shrink back and look away; Azuki does not move, but her mouth shuts and Bulma can even see her teeth grinding together. "Ready the pods," Vegeta snaps, storming from the room and in the direction of the control room. Nappa hurries to do his Prince's bidding, leaving Bulma in the room with Radditz and Azuki, who seem to have forgotten her presence.

"Azuki, he's right – "

"He doesn't care about anyone!" Azuki screams, cutting off her comrade. "Only cares about his own damned self, doesn't care that splitting up will split our chances – "

"Everything will be fine, it always is." Radditz says calmly, his demeanor relaxed and his eyes cool.

"WE AREN'T FUCKING INVINCIBLE!" Azuki explodes, and Bulma winces, seeing another side of Azuki that she has never before seen. The teenage Saiyan grabs a glass off the table in front of the couch that was left over from breakfast and flings it at the wall; it shatters and Azuki stares at it, her eyebrows furrowed and her body tense, her lip pulled back in an animal-like snarl.

Radditz has not moved, but Bulma, on the other hand, inches back from the angry Saiyan, fearful of Azuki for the first time since that fateful day on Uni where she first met the Saiyans. She has known that Azuki is a killer, but the girl has always been so playful, so young, that Bulma has chosen to ignore it. Radditz turns to Bulma and says, "Get out," in an even voice, and Bulma obeys, practically running to get away from Azuki and into the kitchen.

Bulma thinks she understands. She understands that the race on the planet is stronger than anything the Saiyans have faced off against in a while, and that puts them all at risk. She also gets that splitting up will make it that much more dangerous for all of them, and she knows, _knows,_ that Azuki's concern is with Radditz. It is obvious that he is the one in the most danger in this mission (excluding herself, of course) due to the fact that he is considerably weaker.

Bulma is almost shocked at the concern that is flooding her at this moment, as well, making her able to identify with Azuki's anger. She is actually worried – _worried _– for the Saiyans. She should be more concerned for herself, but something is telling her that they won't allow her to die. But if they are hurt themselves…who will protect her? She tries to tell her that _that _is why she is concerned; tries to convince herself that it is out of pure selfishness that her heart constricts at the thought that one of her Saiyans could be seriously injured or killed.

But the truth is that they have done nothing to hurt her, except for when she tried to escape, and Bulma brought that upon herself, unfortunately. They have done nothing to give Bulma any reason to hate them. But they are the _enemy_, they work for Frieza…but Bulma cannot hate them. She just can't.

She feels as if she has betrayed her friends. Her _true _friends.

They are about to go down to a planet and purge it of inhabitants, eliminating an entire race from existence. A peaceful race. An innocent one. And Bulma is hoping that no injury will befall the Saiyans.

A single tear rolls down her cheek. Bulma has changed. She is tainted.

There is another shatter from the room where Azuki and Radditz are, a thump, and silence.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! Thanks: Black Diamond07, Kikira-Lynn, darkendrence, Trixie-chan, Greenis my fav color, Dimitrova, and PianoxForte for reviewing my last chapter! I think I'm going to start replying to reviews, too, to show my appreciation for all these reviews, so ask any questions you have! Thanks, guys!**

**darkendrence: Your question concerning Goku: You'll just have to wait and see ;) and for you're question concerning Zarbon: I doubt the creators of the show really thought that far, as it was mainly for kids, you know? And thank you for the compliment, but I am not the first to use Zarbon in that way, so I can't really take credit for the idea :)**

Chapter 5

The pods are in the hanger, a room that Bulma has, until now, never entered. It is a large, gray room, larger than any other on the ship, with unpainted, metal walls and mostly empty save for four pods tucked away in the corner. There are windows on the end where Bulma is fairly certain the wall extracts to let out the spaceships, and she can just make out the pure white planet they are headed towards. "Damned planet doesn't even have a moon," Nappa had said, and Bulma is vividly reminded of the night Goku changed into a giant ape. She, for one, is glad the planet doesn't possess a moon.

Bulma knows, now, that this is where Zarbon must have docked to enter their craft, as there is plenty of room for another spaceship to land. The pods they will be entering are spherical, tiny space ships for short-term distances that will take them down to the planet's surface while their ship waits for them a good distance from the planet; just far enough where she can see it, but not close enough to be shot down by any missiles if such technology were to exist on Unakye.

All four Saiyans walk determinedly to their pods. Azuki has thrown on a similar parka to Bulma's to cover her exposed stomach, and also seems to be in a much better mood. Vegeta, however, still seems to be brooding as he opens the door to his pod and checks the exterior for any signs of damage that might be a future problem, the others following suit.

"Where am I going to ride?" asks Bulma, glancing around the room for an alternative ride for her. The pods seem rather small, and she does not particularly want to squish in all cozy-like with Vegeta.

"With Azuki."

Bulma sees Azuki stiffen for a moment, but the female Saiyan says nothing. Bulma folds her arms over her chest and makes no moves towards the Elites, trying one last time. "Look, I swear I won't try to escape – "

"No fucking way. Get in the pod."

Azuki turns from her pod, her arm resting on the craft, and smirks her trademark smirk. "Come on in, I promise not to bite _too_ hard." She wiggles her eyebrows and rocks her hips in a suggestive manner, and Bulma rolls her eyes.

Radditz stiffens and moans. "Azuki and Bulma…man, I'd give my own damn _tail _to see that, eh Nappa?"

Bulma facepalms herself and growls, "You men are all the same from every damn planet, ugh."

Radditz cocks his head to the side and gives her a crooked grin, Nappa emerging from his pod where he had been setting the controls, also grinning. "You _are_ attracted to females, anyway, right? I mean, you've made no move towards Radditz or I, and we're irresistible." Nappa licks his lips and growls in what he must think is a seductive manner, and Bulma makes a vomiting sound in the back of her throat, earning a loud laugh from Azuki.

"Ew, Nappa, you're practically 60, aren't you?"

"Forty-nine, thank you very much, and that doesn't mean I can't fuck you good and – "

"Nappa, stop!" Bulma shrieks, holding a hand to hide her mouth so he can't see her smile at his crudeness. That would encourage him, and Bulma did _not _want that.

"What about me?" Radditz asks, swinging himself into his pod and typing something into a keyboard. "I'm good, young, and I haven't had a good fuck in a while."

"Please stop." Bulma deadpans, rubbing at her eyes in annoyance. But she knows what they are doing. Overshadowing the intensity of the situation with humor.

"Wow, she really _is _attracted to women – "

"I am not!" Bulma cries out in indignation, stomping her foot for more effect. Radditz snickers and begins to pull something out of the top paneling of his pod while Azuki finally swings into her's, her fingers flying over the controls and checking to make sure everything is secure.

"Better watch out Azuki, she might make a move." Nappa says to Azuki as he puts his scouter over his eye and clamps it on, grinning when Bulma makes a huffing sound in annoyance. Azuki is also positioning her scouter over her eye, typing in buttons and making sure it is tuned to the right channel and fixed firmly to her head. She simply smirks at her comrades and pats her lap as if in invitation.

"Stop fucking off." Vegeta growls, his scouter already on and sitting in his pod, waiting for the others to be ready.

"Party pooper." Bulma pouts, even though she is slightly grateful for the stop in the onslaught of teasing.

Vegeta raises an almost amused eyebrow at her, echoing her words in confusion. "Woman, I am not shitting on any party, so I have no idea what you are insinuating."

"It's a _saying_, ok? It means you're an asshole."

"You've got him pegged." Azuki grins, and Vegeta sticks his head out of his pod to glare at her, only to realize she is already in her pod.

"So I don't get a scouter?" Asks Bulma, purposefully stalling. "I mean, what if we get separated and I need to contact one of you?"  
"If you get separated from us, you're fucked. So get in the pod so we can get this over with."

"What about a weapon? Isn't there a…gun, or something, that I can have?"

Vegeta rolls his eyes in annoyance. "If a simple gun could take down this race why would we be here?"

Bulma finally concedes defeat and walks towards Azuki's pod. Azuki scoots over to the far side of it for her and she squeezes in, half in Azuki's lap and half pressed against the outer wall of the pod. She repositions her arm so that it is thrown over Azuki's shoulder, and the female Saiyan presses in a command to the pod. There is a _whoosh _and the door to the pod closes, trapping them in even further. "Alright, ready to go." Azuki says over her scouter, her fingers flying over the controls.

"Let's get this over with."

Bulma watches as the outer wall of the hangar begins to retract up into the ceiling, and stares in never-ending awe at the expanse that is space. Azuki has not stopped typing in controls, and the three pods in front of theirs lift into the air, then bursts out of the hangar at alarming speed. "Whoa, that's fast – _AAAAAA!_" Bulma barely manages to get in, before they, too, are shooting out of the sanctuary of their ship. Bulma's words escalate into a sharp scream as she is pressed into the back of the pod by the force of their takeoff.

"Sorry," Azuki says in a deadpan tone, giving Bulma the impression that she doesn't really mean it. "The ride's a lot smoother with a safety belt."

"Atmosphere: breathable," comes Nappa's voice through Azuki's scouter, static slightly marring his voice but still easily understood. "Race: attacks on movement."

Azuki snickers and says, "Great. Don't die, everyone."

"Well we all know _you're _going to be the oldest Saiyan to ever live, right?"

There is a snort from Nappa and a chuckle from Radditz, as if this is some long-standing joke that never dies.

"Damn right."

"If someone finds the leader and our scouters aren't working, take him back to the pods and go ahead and head back to the ship so the others know," says Vegeta.

Bulma repositions herself and has to throw a leg across Azuki's lap, but the young Saiyan doesn't seem to mind. "Hey, Azuki?" Bulma finally asks after a period of silence.

"What?"  
"What happened on Tera?" Bulma asks, recalling Vegeta's words from before.

"Oh." Azuki's face darkens and she looks away so that Bulma cannot see her eyes. "Directly disobeyed one of Vegeta's orders, nearly got everyone killed. No big deal."

"Oh."

Azuki moves again and her profile comes back into view. "The one time disobeying Vegeta actually caused something bad to happen, and he wont let me live it down."

"But what _happened?"_

"He told me to stay behind on the ship with Radditz, who was injured at the time, and I didn't. I wanted to fight, so I went out and did so, and Radditz followed me trying to get me to come back. _He _nearly got killed, and then Nappa nearly got killed trying to save his ass, and then Vegeta nearly got killed because it was suddenly up to him to save both Nappa _and _Radditz, because I was occupied with another enemy. If Radditz had just stayed on the ship, then none of it would've happened, so it technically wasn't my fault."

Bulma picks at her sleeve and then asks the obvious. "Why didn't you just stay on the ship?"

Azuki rolls her eyes. "One, I like to fight, and two, I hate taking orders from my brother." She says it as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. Bulma is an only child, so she does not understand the annoyance of having to take orders from an older sibling.

"Anyways, we're about to land. Better hang on to something."

"Tell the slave to crouch down when we land. She should blend into the snow, and this race doesn't have the best of vision," commands Vegeta, his voice crackling over the scouter.

"Will do."

Bulma looks out the window and sees, much to her shock, that the land of the planet is coming on them, and fast. "Shouldn't we be slowing down?"

"Of course not." Azuki says, looking at her in a puzzled way.

A moment of panic hits Bulma as they seem to _speed_ up, breaking through the atmosphere and the planet is becoming larger and larger – she frantically looks around to find something to grab onto, but the pod is nothing but sleek, shiny metal – she glances at Azuki, who is leaned back, casual, smirk on her face – and their pod _smashes _into the ground; Bulma is thrown forward and her head crashes against the window, she moans and the pod continues to move forward with startling force, and finally – _finally – _they slow to a standstill.

"Ow," Bulma moans, cradling her head in her hands. She has just looked over at Azuki to maybe complain and throw in a classic 'I will never do this again', but is cut off when something decidedly large rams into their pod, sending the craft moving backwards a few feet, and causing Bulma to scream in absolute terror. She looks out the window and one of the creatures who lives on the planet – the white furry beasts – is ramming its body against their pod repeatedly, seemingly determined to ruin there only way of getting back to their ship.

Azuki laughs and gets up to crouch on her haunches, and rears back a leg as if she is planning to kick the door through.

"No, wait –" Bulma begins, terrified, but Azuki doesn't listen and rams her foot through the doorway to the pod. It flies outward and the beast attacking them seems stunned by such aggression – it pauses, and in that moment, Azuki lifts a palm and sends out a ki blast to fry it.

It sends the beast flying backwards so that there is enough space for Azuki to hop out of their ship, but it gets back up the moment she is out and they engage in battle.

The air seeping into the pod is painfully cold, and even through her parka, it bites at Bulma's skin in a painful way that she has never before experienced. She is instantly shivering violently and tries to shrink back into the pod, but another beast seems to deem her dangerous and begins to pound at her pod with its fists.

She screams and instinctively covers her head with her hands, and after a few moments of still silence, peeks out from between her fingers. Vegeta is poking his head into her pod and regards her with disgust. "Get out. If you stay in here they'll attack the pod, and you will _not_ share _my _pod." He commands. She scrambles after him after he disappears, wanting nothing more than to hide behind his strong presence.

Vegeta conveniently had apparently decided not to tell her that the battle was not yet over. Bulma froze as she saw Azuki ram her shoulder into a seven-foot tall Yeti-looking beast. They both went down, Azuki on top (there is a grin, a _smirk _on the Saiyan's face), and she rears back to ram her fist into his head but the beast throws her off and she rolls, snow flying in the air. She is back on her feet before Bulma can blink and as the Yeti charges her, she side steps – he keeps going, unable to stop himself – she pounds her fists into his back in a flurry of movement until he is down. She lifts a palm calmly and there is a bright flash of blue, and the monster is gone.

Before she can move another beast has rammed a fist into her back, and she flies forward.

Before Bulma can follow the next fight of Azuki's, something white blocks out the sun in front of her, and Bulma looks up to see the expressionless face of this white beast that is rearing back both of his fists to squash her like a pancake. Bulma can do nothing but stare, open-mouthed, as time seems to slow and she can see nothing but this creature about to kill her with no intelligence in his eyes and no remorse in his face – there is nothing remotely humane there.

A flash of blue, of white and gold, and he is _there _(the relief, the astonishment) and he is slamming his fist into the beast's face; he places a hand on the shoulder of the stunned Morakay to propel himself over, he flips in the air and delivers a sharp jab to the neck, and the enemy crumples to it's knees, but before Vegeta can attack again it is back up and attacking with a more brutal violence, and is able to get in a vicious punch to his face that cracks his scouter (Vegeta just grabs it and throws it to the ground). Bulma screams and wants to help – she wants to – but she is useless and helpless and _oh _they're ganging up on him – there's more, he's fighting three, he'll _die_ – he is busy blocking the blows of the one that had been about to kill her and another new one, he does not see the Morakay that is advancing on his turned back, about to strike him down – Bulma looks, but Radditz is fighting one, Nappa is fighting two, and Azuki is moving so fast as she evades and blocks the attacks of three that she can't even see her – they don't _see _that Vegeta is about to die, he'll die, he'll die he'll be gone she can't let it happen he can't see what she sees –

Something snaps, her brain stops working – all she can see is a cold black rage and hatred for these, these _things _that are mindless and violent and stupid – her body moves without instruction, without thought, she leaps - _flies_ - and lands on the Morakay's back that had been about to attack Vegeta when he was down and her hands fly into the one weakness that she can violate.

Her fingers dig into the monster's eyes.

It probably hadn't even noticed that she had attached herself to it's back at first, but with her fingers clawing at it's eyes there is no way it can ignore her. It doesn't take long for it to grab her and slam her onto the ground – the air whooshes out of her in one giant release – but it is all the time Vegeta needs. The Saiyan Prince had been able to take down both Morakay that he had been preoccupied with just as he saw Bulma attack like a madwoman. He acts on impulse and just as the Morakay that Bulma had been on is about to stomp on her face he leaps and digs both hands into the beast's back, and they both go tumbling into the snow. His enemy tries to swing but Vegeta simply dodges, and Vegeta's killer instinct kicks in – he grabs the top of the Morakay's head, presses his palm to it's face, and fires. It stills.

Vegeta stands slowly, relishing in the moment that nothing is attacking him. He looks over the land, only to see that they are hoards of Morakay heading straight towards them, running on all fours like the animals they are in the eagerness to get to the battle.

"Vegeta, watch out!" Vegeta turns at Azuki's voice just as he is slammed into; he falls back and the snow breaks his fall but it still fucking hurts.

They have to get out.

Bulma, at that moment, is pressing herself into the ground and hoping not to be seen because she is having a particularly hard time moving after that slam into the ground. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she reprimands herself. Did she honestly think that was a good idea?

A body goes flying over her and Bulma just watches. Nothing is bothering her and she resigns herself not to bother anyone else. She'll just lie here, and hey, if she dies, maybe that's what's meant to be –

"Get out! GO!" She picks out Vegeta's roar quite distinctly over the sounds of fighting, and picks herself up a bit to look over at him, only to see the cause of his panic. At first, it looks like the white landscape is moving, shifting, changing, but then she sees the cause for it. Hundreds of Morakay are coming, racing towards them as if they can smell the fight going on and are eager to get in on it.

She sees why the head of resistance is hiding here, now.

Azuki soars overhead with Radditz hot on her heels, and Bulma scrambles up to watch as they both disappear over the mountain they are right next to in escape. Panic seizes her as she watches Nappa lift to the sky and leap out of the way of ten Morakay all heading for him; they take to the sky in pursuit and he disappears in the opposite direction.

She is alone, alone in a hoard of monsters that want to kill her with no one for protection and they just _left _her, they just left her and now the Morakay are staring at her, they are noticing her attempting to hide from them and racing towards her – Bulma wails.

A fist encloses around her upper arm so fast that she had not even seem him coming; she is hauled into the air and Bulma scrambles to wrap both arms around Vegeta as he moves out of the way of the white Yeti that are chasing them.

Unfortunately, the Morakay can fly too, and they jump into the air and snap at their heels like sharks. Vegeta turns and heads for the mountain – at first, Bulma thinks he is going to slam them both into it – but then she sees the cave that he sees, and they fly in at such speed that when he drops her she goes rolling back towards the entrance. Vegeta turns and fires a blast at the ice collected at the top of the cave, and it collapses over the entrance, trapping them inside in the darkness of a cave with no way out.

Great. Alone in a cave with Vegeta. Oh, the possibilities.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, and if you want to see what Azuki looks like, please go here: **http:/browse(dot)deviantart(dot)com/?q=azuki%20saiyan&order=9&offset=24&offset=24#/d2r0nqb **Just replace the (dot)s with a . I encourage all to look at it, as it is a wonderful picture by a wonderful artist, SChan, who was nice enough to let me use it. Please look at it! This is the artwork that inspired my Azuki, and I want you all to see it and maybe tell the artist how wonderful it is! If the link doesn't work, it'll also be on my profile  
**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm not too content with this chapter. It was extremely difficult to write and I practically had to force it out, but I hope it doesn't show. I still hope you guys enjoy it!**

Chapter 6

Bulma kicks a pile of snow and the powder flies across the cave, sprinkling Vegeta a bit, who sits, leaned up against the wall, a permanent scowl on his face. He glares daggers at her and she folds her arms across her chest, shivering as another chill wracks her body. "And j-just when are we g-going to get out of this?" She asks, her teeth chattering and continuing to move about the cave, simply because she knows she must keep her body heat up or risk hypothermia.

Vegeta grits his teeth, closing his eyes and counting to ten before he blasts the woman for the annoyance she is causing him. "Until I am healed," he says, annoyed that he must admit that he has been injured, and probably could not get them out of here if the Morakay were still outside of the cave. His scouter was broken in the previous battle, above all things, so he cannot contact Azuki, Nappa, or Radditz.

She blinks at him in temporary confusion, then asks, "You're h-hurt?" Vegeta does not answer, just looks away determinedly. "Well, you should've s-said something."

A few minutes of silence past between them, save for the chattering of Bulma's teeth that Vegeta can hear loud and clear due to his advanced hearing, and he finally asks what has been nagging at him since they got in the cave. "Why did you do it?"

Bulma stops moving, turning to look at the Saiyan. "Do what?"

Vegeta refuses to make eye contact, but continues after a long moment of silence. "Try to save me."

"Um, Mister, I _did _save you."

"I had it in control."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say. I don't know. I just…didn't want to see you die, I guess."

Vegeta scrunches up his face in confusion, rubbing the place on his side that blood is oozing from in an almost absent-minded way. No one had ever saved his life, save Azuki and even Nappa and Radditz a few times, but it was expected of them. He has never expected anyone else to care enough about his wellbeing to attempt to save him. This human…she confuses him. He doesn't like it.

He is so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't even notice Bulma moving towards him, and jumps when her hand descends on his arm. She withdraws immediately, but says, "Let me l-look at your i-injury."

He scowls, and, seeing that she has no wrongdoing in her motives, raises his arm so that she can see his side. She doesn't gasp or look shocked like he expected, but simply nods, resting her fingers so lightly on his side that he can hardly feel it. She stands straight again, arms wrapped around herself. "Won't that take a while to heal without a regeneration tank?"

"A few hours."

"What? I'll be f-frozen by then!"

"And that's my problem…how?"

"I saved your life, you j-jerk!"

"And I saved yours. Debt repaid."

Bulma stomped to a stop and threw up her arms in disdain. "UGH, you're _impossible_!"

Vegeta simply smirks, but does not reply.

* * *

"You shouldn't stop moving."

Bulma sinks to the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs and shaking her head. "C-can't. L-legs f-frozen."

Vegeta snorts and looks at her in obvious contempt. "You humans are so fragile. Even weather can kill you."

She doesn't look at him; in fact, her expression doesn't even change. Her face is slightly blue, he realizes, and he cocks an eyebrow in curiosity. He wonders how painful freezing to death is, and thanks the gods that it is enough to silence her never-ending mouth.

"So this is how you're going to die? Pathetic." He doesn't know why, but he wants to incite her for some reason, to get her angry, to make her lash out.

She simply shakes her head and mutters, "S-shut u-up," so quietly that he is sure he would have been unable to hear her if he didn't have such good ears. He snorts and shakes his head again, annoyed for a reason that he cannot place.

He is slightly cold, he will admit, but it isn't enough to bother him. He is used to not being comfortable and warm all the time, and the throbbing in his side is a bit worse than the cold, to be honest. He continues to watch the blue-haired woman, and thinks that it is a shame that she is going to die after he worked so hard to keep her alive. But he doesn't move.

After a few moments of her leaning against the far side of the cave, directly across from him, with her eyes shut, he wonders if she is dead. But then she whispers, "What h-happened to y-your p-planet?"

Vegeta freezes, turns his head towards her slowly, and asks stiffly, "What?"

"Y-you t-talked about i-it in the p-past t-tense e-earlier."

He stares at her for a very long time. Truly, really stares at her, because he cannot fathom why she would want to know such a thing and why she would even care enough to ask. Stupid woman. But after he wracks his brain he cannot think of a reason not to tell her. So he says it.

"Frieza blew it up."

Silence. Then, "I-I'm s-sorry."

His head snaps around. His mouth is slightly open. The fact that he could simply walk over, place his hand on her, let his warm ki flow into her, and save her, does not escape him. He does not move.

"G-guess w-we're m-more similar th-than we th-thought."

He wishes she would shut up. Even moments from death she does not cease her chatter.

"Y-You k-know? I f-forgive y-you…y-you're not s-so t-terrible as e-everyone t-thinks..."

Fuck. For fuck's sake…Shut. Up. He knows it is the delirium talking…and he wants her to stop it. He is having the most ridiculous desire to press his hands against his ears and block out her insane talking. He could simply fire a blast at her, right now, and end her suffering. It would be a kindness.

Azuki won't be happy. She hates traveling more than is necessary, and hates veering off track. She won't want to make another trip to another slave world. And…he thinks she likes this one.

That isn't good.

And when Azuki isn't happy, Radditz isn't happy. Damn fool doesn't even have his own brain. He would probably follow Azuki into a burning crater of lava if she asked him to. That kind of devotion is dangerous. Pointless.

He thinks they like her. Because none of them ever had a mother. None of them ever had someone to look after them. They have had to look after themselves, because they are each too prideful to look after one another. And the slave worries for them. Fusses over them. Treats them in a way they are not used to being treated. It makes them weak.

Azuki is young. She does not remember their mother.

Radditz was taken from his home right after he was born and sent to purge a planet. When he returned, his planet did not exist.

Nappa was mated, but she died in the destruction of Planet Vegeta. He acts as if he does not care, and has, in all honesty, probably gotten over it…but he has, not once, taken another to bed.

If in his position, would they save her? Would they admit the weakness? Would they do it?

Feh. Doesn't matter. He won't give in to weakness.

"Y-You're b-better th-than F-Frieza…"

_Fuck._

He moves. She does not. He slips off a glove and places it against her skin, on her cheek, and she startles so much that he withdraws.

"No," she whispers, "don't stop."

So he doesn't. He presses his hands against her skin, her freezing cold skin, and lets his ki flow into her. He has never done anything like this, but he ignores his inner voice telling him to stop. Because there is no valid reason to let her die.

After a moment, her hand rests on top of his, and she begins to guide his hands over her skin. He has never let someone direct him – _never _– but for some reason he cannot seem to withdraw his hands because she is so cold and he so warm and something is happening – something important.

She ducks her head, as if shy, and her blue hair falls into her eyes as she guides his hands along her upper thigh. He refrains from shivering; he is a man, after all, and she continues, letting him touch her and feel her and it feels _so wrong _(so right).

He stands, withdraws. She blinks. "That's enough. You're fine now and so am I; let's go."

"Wait," she whispers, her voice husky, and he stops. "Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you." He snaps, not turning to look at her. "I don't want to have to waste time to go and get another slave."

She smiles, her blue eyes shining, because something has happened here, something in this cave that cannot and will not be forgotten. Something has changed, something is different. He may not have felt it, but she has. And she cannot take it back.

Vegeta lifts a palm and directs it at the cave entrance and Bulma knows what is coming; she moves, trying to stop him, because the beasts could still be out there, "Vegeta – wait – "

He turns and roars, "Do not tell me what to do!" with so much venom and anger that she flinches. And he turns and fires so that there is a clear hole where a pile of snow had previously been. When Bulma stands to look out the clear opening, she sees nothing but the snow and the vicious cold, and shivers. Vegeta turns to stare at her, and for a second, he does not say a word. She thinks of backing away at the intensity in his eyes, but does not. She will not retreat.

He advances, wraps an arm around her, and flings her over his shoulder. She lets out an _umph _and pounds Vegeta's back ("This is no way to hold a lady!") and he tells her to shut up and blasts into the sky. Bulma's previous complaints escalate into a scream and she squeezes her eyes shut as tightly as she can.

"If you do not shut up I will let go of you right now. You're going to attract attention."

So she shuts her mouth and lets Vegeta carry her like a ragdoll over his shoulder, rapidly ascending. She finally opens her eyes and blinks as the white landscape becomes farther and farther away, but she cannot feel any cold or wind on her skin. Bulma digs her nails into Vegeta's back in an effort to cling tighter to him, and he does nothing to acknowledge her. She realizes that Vegeta's ki has enveloped them and created a warm protective shield.

"Where are we going?" She asks, her voice surprisingly clear and not carried away in the wind as she initially thought would happen.

"To finish the mission," is Vegeta's short reply. She cannot see his face so does not know if he is still angry at what happened in the cave.

It is not long before Bulma feels Vegeta begin to slow down, and twists her body so she can peer by him. A great, box-shaped steel building is perched in the snowy white terrain, sticking out horribly. At first Bulma does not see the Yeti-like monsters guarding the place, but as they draw nearer she spots them, blending into the snow and standing erect in front of what must have been the entrance.

"How will we get in?"

"Shut up."

Bulma stops craning her neck to stare at the building and slaps Vegeta's ass in irritation, hoping it will bother him. The only sign that he felt it is a sharp and sudden decrease in speed as they close in on the building, but that could have been simply because they were getting close enough for the Yeti to possibly see them and needed to form a plan to get inside.

Vegeta circles the building, the only thing keeping them safe from detection being the Morakay's obvious poor eyesight. Vegeta touches down lightly on the snow directly behind the building, which has been left without protection. He tosses Bulma into the snow, and the cold embraces her painfully. She grumbles as she stands and brushes herself off, giving Vegeta the stink eye, but he ignores her as he casually lifts a hand.

"Wait, there could be an alarm!" Bulma says quickly, moving forward to put a hand on his arm. He growls in annoyance and wrenches his arm away, but cannot fight her logic, so crosses his arm and stares at the building as if he could melt a hole in it with his stare. "You don't go on stealth missions very often, do you?" She teases, a slight grin forming on her face at the frustration in his eyes.

"Hn."

"There has to be a secret entrance. You know, one that they would escape out of or get into in case the front entrance was being breached or something."

Vegeta glances at her then looks away and mutters, "Well, it could also be a tunnel that we cannot access."

Bulma mirrors Vegeta's stance and crosses her arms over her chest, turning to face the steel building that could, for all they know, be impenetrable. "Stay here," Vegeta commands, "I'm going to circle the building."

So she taps her foot impatiently and paces as she shivers violently in the cold, but Vegeta does not take long to return, pick her up, and rush her to a different portion of the monstrous steel building. He deposits her on the snow, a touch more gentle this time, and points at a part of the building that looks the exact same as the rest and commands, "Open it."

Bulma turns to stare at the place he is pointing at in confusion, as it looks the exact same as the wall they had just been staring at – oh.

There is a tiny, miniscule indention that Bulma would not have spotted if it had not been pointed out. But it is far too precise and clean to be a coincidence. She runs her hand over the dent and is able to wedge her fingers underneath the dent – a tiny bit of space Vegeta's larger fingers could not have fit into. She plants her feet against the base of the building and pulls as hard as she can, expecting nothing to happen, but immediately goes barreling backward as the door gives way with her pull. Vegeta catches her on instinct but let's go half a second later. Bulma falls and intends to give Vegeta a piece of her mind, only to realize that he had let her go to break the neck of a humanoid-looking man who had been guarding the door.

"Oh," she says.

Vegeta tosses the man into the snow and Bulma emits a slight squeal as the body comes near her, and the Saiyan beckons to her. "Let's get this over with as quickly as possible."  
As Bulma enters the building, she notices that it seems to have been built piece by piece. The coloring of the steel doesn't match in some places; parts of it dark gray, parts a shiny silver. They seem to be in a simple storage room and when she and Vegeta peek outside, they are met by a long, narrow steel hallway. Vegeta stalks into the hall like a predator and Bulma follows right on his heels, afraid to lose him, casting nervous glances over her shoulder every few seconds.

Vegeta seems to know where he is going, and Bulma figures he is used to the structure of buildings like this. There are no doorways in the hall, and when they occasionally come upon a person, Vegeta dispatches them with quick and silent efficiency. They come upon no Morakay. The first man Vegeta downs has a laser-gun attached to his belt, and Bulma grabs it the first chance she gets, holding it to her chest protectively. Vegeta raises an eyebrow at her, but she, for the most part, ignores him. He knows that the laser would do no damage against him, so he lets her keep it.

Bulma creeps so close to Vegeta that he can probably feel her breath on his back, but he does not complain.

And suddenly, with no warning, a loud blaring voice from an unknown place cries _INTRUDERS IN HALL C, INTRUDERS IN HALL C, INTRUDERS IN HALL C_ and the hallway they are in flashes red.

"Shit," Vegeta mutters. Without warning, he turns, slings Bulma over his shoulder once again, and takes off at an impossible speed down the hall.

A second later at least twenty men are racing towards them and Bulma screams. Vegeta tosses her behind him and easily dispatches all the men without breaking a sweat; one quick punch to their heads and they are down. He wonders why there are no Morakay inside.

Before Bulma can scream again Vegeta has picked her up and bolted into the first room they have come upon since entering the hall. Bulma keeps her eyes peeled behind them, making sure they won't be snuck up on, but inadvertently making it so she is unable to see where they are headed.

She sees a blue-skinned man lift a laser at them and quickly shoots him with the laser she had picked up herself. He falls, motionless.

He doesn't move again.

After that, Bulma feels sick.

She killed someone. Killed. She is a murderer. No better than the Saiyans. No better than Vegeta, who killed without thought. No better than Azuki, who murdered with a smile on her face. No better than Nappa or Radditz.

When Vegeta tosses her onto the ground for the millionth time for the day, she doesn't even protest. But when she half-heartedly lifts her head and sees ten Morakay guarding a door with Vegeta facing them, her heart is back to racing and she scrambles backwards, away from the beasts.

They all charge at the same time, no honor involved in the fight at all. Vegeta is simply a blur of blue between them, and Bulma loses sight. The Morakay have no interest in her; just the one that is fighting them and killing them.

Shakily, she lifts her laser and attempts to shoot one. It is easier to attempt to kill the Morakay, who have no emotions but a need for blood. It bounces off his fur and does nothing but gain the attention of the beast, and it turns and charges at her. Bulma screams, "Vegeta!" and a moment later he is there, slamming his fist into the Morakay's head and sending him sprawling.

"Idiot woman!" He spits at her before turning and kicking another, crushing its skull.

Bulma does not attempt to help again.

Soon Vegeta has downed all ten, little splotches of blood on his face and rips and tears in his spandex and armor. "Are you ok?" Bulma asks. She is not granted an answer, and didn't exactly expect one. Vegeta simply spits out some blood, turns, and kicks the door that the Morakay had been guarding down.

A human-looking man with flyaway gray hair, a scruffy beard, and a face hardened with age stares calmly back at them in the middle of a room filled with monitors and flashing screens. "Ah," he says, his face passive, eyes calm, "so you've come at last."

Vegeta does not respond, just steps forward and delivers a hard blow to the man's head. Bulma flinches as the man drops, having not even tried to stop Vegeta. The Saiyan casually throws the man over his shoulder. Bulma crosses her arms over her chest and shakily jokes, "Hey, that's my spot" in an effort to break the thick tension.

"Hn," grunts Vegeta.

Bulma regards the unconscious man over his shoulder with trepidation. That is the hope of the Rebellion. A man that can't even defend himself. A man that I am helping deliver to Frieza.

She shudders, and follows Vegeta out the door.

The hallway is empty. The red lights are still flashing, but the voice is now chanting, "_EVACUATE, EVACUATE, EVACUATE."_

There is no rush as they casually walk through the halls and out the front door; the Morakay are gone. Vegeta allows Bulma to ride in front this time and takes to the air. Bulma watches the steel building grow farther and farther away, little specks of people trying to flee the headquarters. Vegeta turns mid-flight, lifts a palm, and obliterates the swarms attempting to save their own lives. Screams and the smell of death fill the air.

"Why did you do that?" she whispers in disbelief.

"It is their life or mine," is the toneless reply.

Bulma turns away and presses her face into Vegeta's chest plate, and does not look back.

* * *

Vegeta and Bulma take one pod up, their bodies in close proximity, and Vegeta tosses the still body of his enemy in the other and programs it to take it to the ship. Bulma assumes that Azuki and Radditz will have to squeeze into a pod when coming back up. Vegeta locks their new prisoner in Bulma's room and harshly tells her that she'll be staying in Azuki's room for a while. She does not respond, her face void of emotions, not betraying the deep sadness that she feels in being a part of something so evil. She turns her face away from him to hide her grief.

And yet, she cannot erase the feeling that she is glad Vegeta is ok.

An hour passes, and then another. Bulma curls on the couch and does not move, but Vegeta takes to pacing through the hallways and across the living room. "You should go help them," Bulma finally whispers, voice hoarse from all the raging emotions inside of her and trying to contain her tears.

Vegeta glares at her, scoffs, and continues pacing. "They are most likely just purging the planet since they know I have gone back to the ship. Azuki likes to play with her food."

Bulma winces and turns her back to him.

Another hour goes by without any word.

"Vegeta, there are so many Morakay, please go help them." Bulma speaks before she can stop herself, and immediately regrets it. She is telling him to go speed along the process of mass genocide. What is happening to her? What is her problem?

"They are not children. And I will not leave you on the ship."

Bulma sits up, turns, and faces Vegeta. He blinks at the surprise of seeing her eyes glistening. But she does not let them fall.

"I won't leave."

"I do not – "

"Vegeta. I will. Not. Leave. I saved your damn life; I'm not going anywhere. I don't have anywhere to go."

He stares at her, his eyes a whirlwind of emotions before he quickly shuts them off to her. She feels her heart flutter, feels his hand against her skin, so warm, so soothing – hears him confess of his planet being destroyed and remembers being so anguished that he had been robbed of a childhood even as she thought she was going to die.

This isn't his fault. It's not. He was warped and twisted and made into something cruel. He said it himself; he had no choice but kill or be killed. He has simply grown used to it.

It was not due to the hysteria that she had heard hatred in his voice when speaking of Frieza. She knows it.

She believes in him.

She trusts him.

Vegeta nods. He motions to the laser still in Bulma's parka pocket, says, "If anything goes wrong with the prisoner, use that," and walks back to the hangar, and does not look back. Bulma watches the pod grow smaller through the window in the kitchen and glances furtively in the direction of the control room. She could take off, right now, with the head of the Resistance in tow and join the Resistance and maybe change the Universe, fix everything –

She can't. No matter how much she wants to, the trust that Vegeta has just displayed in her touches her so deeply that she cannot, _will not_, break it. Bulma returns to the couch and waits.

Two hours later the three pods return to the hangar and all four Saiyans trudge inside. Nappa passes through the living room in direction of the regeneration tanks, an unconscious Radditz hanging limply over his shoulder. Azuki walks by, her eyes tired, blood caking her face and knotting her hair, and goes to her room without a word. Vegeta is the last to enter. There is more blood staining his armor and skin, and his gloves are stained red. Bulma sits up and their eyes maintain contact for a few moments before he gives one, single nod and retires to his room.

Something has passed between them. Something is different, something is permanently changed. There is trust there, and understanding. Bulma curls up on the couch, feeling that Azuki will not want to share her room tonight, and falls asleep, a thrill of something new running through her that she cannot explain.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys like it more than I do. And I have a quick question that I'd really appreciate an answer to: Would you rather this story be one huge story of 30-40+ chapters or this fic (15-20 chapters) and a sequel? Review!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! First off, I'd like to say that I'm extremely sorry that I didn't respond to your guys' reviews. I've had a really busy two weeks with several AP exams and a few personal matters, but I promise I read each and every one and took every single one to heart, and I also promise to respond to any reviews I get for this chapter. I got my most reviews last chapter, and it was awesome! Oh, and thanks for answering my question last chapter! With your help, I've decided to make this story one gigantic one since it's basically the same plot throughout with no drastic changes or time leaps. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 7

Bulma blinks at the screen, weariness taking hold, but she is unable to turn off the monitor and go to sleep due to the fact that space has some fucking good soap operas.

It is so different from the shows on Earth; partially due to the main characters being alien-looking creatures that don't look anything relatively human (a lot of her interest in the show is due to the variety of sizes and skin tones and appearances of the characters) and the drama is so damn intense that she can't look away. The women in the show are all beauties, their golden skin shining in front of the camera, batting long eyelashes and pursing full lips, and the men are almost as sexy as Zarbon, or Vegeta –

Wait, no. No. Where had that even come from?

Speak of the devil, the very same man strolls into the room at that moment, takes in her fatigued appearance with a raised eyebrow, and slowly makes his way over towards her, plopping on the couch and rubbing his eyes with a weariness that does not fit him. He rests an arm on the side of the couch, scowls at her legs that are pressed against his thigh (she had been lying down and he had sat at her feet), and throws them away from him. "Hey!" Bulma says in frustration, curling her feet underneath her and glaring at him in the most hateful way she can muster.

"What the fuck are you watching?"

"It's a good show, ok?"

"What _is _it?"

Bulma grins at his confusion and sits up straighter on the couch. "Well, allow me to educate you, dear Prince." Vegeta scowls hatefully at her word choice, but says nothing. "That woman – that one – is in love with Yornan, but Yornan is really mean to her and all of her friends and she is conflicted with her feelings because of this, but he's really steamy and passionate when they're alone, but she's scared it's just lust. But, what she doesn't know, is that Yornan is slowly starting to realize his love for her and is changing – "

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. That would never happen."

Bulma scowls at him. "Well, I'm a romantic, so I happen to like it. And I hid the remote." Bulma nonchalantly presses her hand into the couch cushion, pushing the remote into the crevice between two of the cushions. Vegeta's eyes flicker over to her, and in one fluid motion, he stands, grabs her leg, and dumps her off the couch. Bulma half squeals, half laughs, and Vegeta snatches the remote from between the couch cushions. Bulma launches herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and desperately trying to reach the remote clamped in his hand. He smirks slightly, holding it just out of her struggling reach, and pries her from his back, depositing her calmly onto the floor.

A second later Radditz's door opens and Azuki barrels out, now dressed in cozy-looking sweat pants and a tank top, and she grabs the remote from a smirking Vegeta's hand before he even blinks. He growls at his sister who is smirking, holding the remote out and wagging it in the air. Radditz emerges from the room a moment later, having come out of the regen tank a few hours ago, and, once catching sight of the remote, disappears from Bulma's sight. He reappears half a second later, sprawled on the floor underneath Azuki, clutching his jaw and moaning. Azuki smiles, a picture of innocence, her tail wagging behind her playfully. "My remote."

Nappa stomps his way into the room, hands on his hips and a stern look on his face. "Now children," he says, wagging a finger, "let's grow up. Now be respectful and give the remote to the eldest of the group."

Azuki sticks out her tongue and lifts the remote to change the channel, but the remote has disappeared from her hand an instant later and she is turning to glare at Vegeta, who quickly changes the channel. Bulma mirrors Nappa's pose, stomping to stand in front of Vegeta, who surveys her with an amused look. "And just what are _you_ going to do?"

Bulma tries to grab the remote, Vegeta moves it from her sight easily. She sighs in exasperation and, at the challenging twinkle in his eye, throws herself on him. He is so caught off guard at her outright boldness that she is able to snatch the remote and bolt, changing the channel back to her soap opera.

Radditz guffaws and Azuki says, "Vegeta, you just lost. To a slave. With blue hair."

Vegeta frowns and glares at Bulma, who promptly drops the remote down her shirt and into her bra, sticking out her tongue at the men.

A half a second later Radditz is standing there, reaching towards her. "You underestimate the things I'll do for channel dominance, Miss Bulma," he says with a sly grin, and Bulma shrieks as he makes a move towards her breasts.

Nappa is there, then, pushing Radditz out of the way and grinning evilly. "Ah, but I think I'm more suited to retrieve the remote."

Bulma backs away as Radditz and Nappa push each other, scrambling to each have a chance at making a grab at her goods. She leaps over the back of the couch but stops as Vegeta appears in front of her, slamming Nappa out of the way and leaving the older man groaning on the floor, a dangerous smile on his face. Radditz immediately freezes and Azuki watches from the couch, a slight smirk donning her teenage features.

Vegeta leans forward and calmly inserts his hand into her bra. His hand lingers for a moment, and then he steps back, the remote held victoriously in his fist. "I win." He says, still smirking devilishly. Bulma is too shocked to respond, her mouth hanging open, and Vegeta leaps over the back of the couch in a graceful manner, settling himself on the far end. The competition seems resolved, and Nappa sits down a good two feet from Vegeta, Radditz sits next to Nappa, Azuki perches on Radditz's lap, and Bulma, still slightly shocked, wedges herself in between Nappa and Vegeta. Vegeta picks a very gruesome movie, filled with gore and death and violence, and Bulma is not surprised.

"You know, if we had some popcorn, this would be perfect." Bulma says about thirty minutes into the grotesque movie. She has had to shut her eyes a few times.

"What the hell is popcorn?" Radditz asks.

"It's this delicious buttery snack that people back on my planet used to eat when we watched movies."

"Your race was idiotic."

"Oh, and _chocolate, _I bet you'd _love_ chocolate, and ice cream – oh man, I'm so sick of meat all the time."

"Well," starts Azuki, her eyes glued to the screen, smiling as a man's head is decapitated, "we will be passing Shrina Planet soon."

"No." Vegeta immediately says, cutting her off before she even finishes saying the planet's name.

"We're going. We hardly _ever_ pass the planet and I _will _go."

"Never again."

"Vegeta, you know it's the cheapest and best place to get fuel and food. C'mon," Azuki bats her eyelashes, and she actually looks innocent for a moment, "pleeeeeease?"

Vegeta glares at her. "No."

"You're the best big brother to ever exist!" Azuki cries, purposely sugarcoating her tone and using a mock loving voice. Vegeta immediately scowls.

"I don't recall saying yes."

"What's Shrina Planet?" Bulma asks, liking the sound of it already.

Azuki immediately perks up, twisting from Radditz's lap to stare at Bulma, her eyes sparkling. "It's an entire fucking planet with shops. The whole damn planet. Everything that you can buy from every planet in the Universe is there."

"The whole planet?" Bulma repeats, her eyes shining.

"The whole planet."

"Shit, one Azuki is enough." Nappa moans. Bulma elbows him, her attention still focused on Azuki.

"Can I go, please, can I _please_?" Bulma begs, clasping her hands together.

"You have a problem leaving this ship, so no." Vegeta says without a moment's hesitation. "And we aren't going, anyway."

"Oh, come on, I'll be good, please?" Bulma turns her attention to Vegeta, grasping his arm. He pushes her hands off of him and glares.

"C'mon, Vegeta, I'll take her down this time, so you don't even have to deal with it. And if she tries to run, I'll rip her head off." There is no joking in Azuki's tone, and Bulma does not doubt that Azuki would have no qualms in carrying that promise through.

"We will make this decision at a more suitable time. Not now."

Azuki winks at Bulma, who immediately feels a thrill of excitement. "You'll buy me things, right, Azuki?" She pleads.

"Depends on what you want. Trust me, I have enough credits to last five lifetimes."

"Like you'll even live one lifetime."

"I'm going to be the longest Saiyan to ever live, dumbass."

"If you keep saying that you're going to jinx it. I just might kill you." Vegeta smirks.

"That'd be rude." Bulma says quickly, trying to get on the teenage Saiyan's good side to win a trip down to this Shrina Planet with Azuki so she can buy things.

"Can you believe it? I'm his own sister and he'd kill me." Azuki wipes away a fake tear. "Family just means nothing these days."

"I will rip your head off if you don't shut up." Vegeta deadpans.

Azuki waves a hand at Bulma and says in a derogatory tone, "Slave, dispose of that waste of space, would you?"

Vegeta scoffs at Bulma, who laughs out loud. "Sure, let me get right on that," she jokes.

Radditz grins and teases, "We're waiting. You wouldn't disobey a direct command, would you?"

Nappa joins in on the conversation. "Punishment for that is death."

"You at least have to give it a go."

"Oh alright," Bulma says with a dramatic sigh, and turns and leaps on the Saiyan Prince, attempting to pinch his arms, something that her Dad had done to her when she was younger as punishment, and had _really _hurt.

Vegeta, out of pure amusement at her weakness, allows her to wriggle on his lap for a moment, trying to cause him pain, before calmly picking her up by the back of her shirt and dumping her on the ground. "No fair," Bulma mumbles, scowling up at the Prince. Vegeta stands, his tail waving behind him in an almost…playful manner? Confused, Bulma waits for him to move.

"You know the punishment for trying to eliminate the Prince of all Saiyans?" Vegeta growls, his tail lashing behind him, a twinkle in his eye that Bulma has never before seen but excites her.

"Uh oh," Azuki says, watching the display with a grin. "You're in for it now."

"Help me!" Bulma screams as Vegeta grabs her ankle and lifts her off the ground, hanging her upside down helplessly.

"Nope," says Azuki, "you failed my command. Therefore, you get no help."

"Sorry excuse for an assassin you are," Vegeta leers, staring down at her, "you don't even know the correct way to kill someone. Well, looks like we'll have to punish you."

Bulma licks her lips in an exaggerated way and asks, "Is that a promise?"

Vegeta closes his eyes and let's go of her ankle, making her fall ungracefully to the ground, muttering, "Vulgar woman."

"Here," Azuki drags Radditz to his feet, who grumbles good-naturedly. "For future reference, this is how you break someone's neck." She climbs onto his back and presses both hands against the side of his face. "You have to do it at the right angle, or it won't work. You just _twist_," Azuki mimics the motion an inch over Radditz' head, "and there you go. But you have to put a good bit of strength into it."

"I'll keep that in mind." Bulma grumbles as she sits up, rubbing her head and glaring at Vegeta. He could stand to be a bit gentler. Vegeta ignores her, crossing his arms over his chest and sitting back down on the couch. Bulma stretches out on the ground, surprisingly comfortable, and closes her eyes.

"Perhaps we should go to bed. It was a long day," says Nappa, surveying the three Saiyans and one human that suddenly seem worn out and exhausted.

"Alright, _mom." _Bulma jokes, and Azuki laughs loudly.

When did it come to this? Joking and laughing with the enemy?

Bulma sobers up immediately.

* * *

The screams of their new captive reverberate through the spacecraft so often that Bulma has taken to lying on the couch with the pillows pressed firmly against her ears. Azuki, who apparently earned the title of the Queen of Torture sometime in her sixteen years of life, is in there right now, attempting to get the information out of him. Vegeta tried at first, always wanting to do everything himself, but eventually consented to letting Azuki do what she is best at.

Bulma thinks she will go crazy soon.

Finally, there is relief. Azuki stalks out of Bulma's former room and slams the door shut behind her. Blood is splattered across her bare torso and some on her cheek. She grins at Bulma, then plops on the couch next to her, grabbing the remote to the monitor and flipping through the channels. "Damn fool doesn't know what's best for him," Azuki says without prompting. "I told him I'd kill him if he'd tell me what I want to know, but he's too stubborn. Reminds me a bit of Vegeta."

Bulma does not respond, sick to her stomach.

"Hey, will you go feed him? Can't have him die of starvation, and everyone's training without me. Don't give him too much, ok? Don't want him to be comfortable." Bulma knows that even though Azuki posed it as a question, it is a command, and to prove it, Azuki gets up to leave before she answers.

"What if he attacks me?" Bulma asks.

"Trust me, he won't be attacking anyone." Azuki heads down to the training floor, but before disappearing, calls over her shoulder, "You'll have to hand feed him. Both arms are broken and I shattered all of his fingers.

Flinching, Bulma pushes herself off of the couch and prepares a meal for their captive. She does not put much effort into it and makes it pretty small, and then, bracing herself, heads inside her former room.

Blood is splattered across the floor, and the bed has been pushed against the far wall and tilted so that no one can sleep on it. Bulma looks around the room for the man, and when she spots him, she turns away and nearly vomits all over the ground.

He is so covered in blood that it is hard to see features, but she can see the signs of torture quite clearly. An ear has been ripped off, a chunk is missing from his head with patches of hair gone, and Bulma sees a few teeth on the ground that Azuki must have ripped out. Two of his arms and one leg are twisted at obvious angles, and his other leg is completely gone; a bloody stump where there was once a limb. He is completely naked, bits of his skin wrinkled and darkened from a burn. She shudders, slowly inching her way towards him and ready to set the tray of food down and run.

He shudders, his eyes begin to roam the room and he flinches and let's out a low wail, and, somehow, Azuki must have blinded him because she knows that he was looking at her and Vegeta when they first saw him. "I…brought you food," Bulma whispers, closing her eyes and setting down the tray in front of him. She must not cry. She can't. "Open your mouth."

He moans, shaking his head, and says, "No."

"You must," she says softly, and lifts a tiny sliver of meat, pressing it between his lips. He moans, his tongue flicking out and licking her fingers as he takes the meat and swallows it whole. When his mouth opens for the briefest of seconds, Bulma sees that a majority of his teeth are missing, and she realizes that he cannot chew.

"Are you…slave?"

Refusing to look into his unnerving, quivering eyes, she answers, "Yes," while busying herself tearing his meal into thin enough slivers that he can swallow whole.

"Please…you…must…_kill me_."

Bulma's hands freeze, and she holds her breath, turning to look at the man who's face is wet with tears, who is staring at her even though he cannot see her with such intensity that a chill runs down her spine, with those weeping voids that see nothing. "I can't. They'll kill me." Bulma whispers, knowing it to be true. They may have their little moments, but she does not doubt a moment that all four Saiyans would not hesitate to kill her if she were to betray them.

"Think…good of the Universe…can't hold out much longer…soon, I'll break…" He begins to shake, as if he wants ever so badly to grasp her and shake her but cannot move his shattered limbs. "Save…the Universe…"

Bulma backs away from him, her blue eyes wide and her hands trembling. It's true. She could kill this man now, save lives, and sacrifice herself for the good of the Universe. If he let's the location of the Resistance's headquarters slip, then many good people would lose their lives and the entire mission that the Resistance is so dedicated to would be gone. Wiped out. Hope would be lost.

She could make a difference. Here, now.

"I…" Bulma starts, and she can feel his stare, his cold black stare, as she guides his hand along her thigh, she can feel the heat sink into her skin and feel how _right _it must be. "I can't."

The man shudders, and collapses.

Bulma bolts from the room, running as fast as she can from this hellish place and slamming the door shut behind her, the tears welling in her eyes. She stops as she comes face-to-face with Vegeta, who is staring into her eyes with an intensity that makes her heart race. He is wearing nothing but some spandex shorts and Bulma's breath leaves her.

This is wrong. Oh so wrong.

So wrong because she wants nothing more than to leap on him and press her lips to his and –

No. _No_.

Bulma races past him, sprinting to Azuki's room and now her's, and slamming the door shut behind herself. She crawls under the covers and weeps for her lost life. She does not stop until she falls into a troubling sleep where she dreams of Yamcha and Goku and Gohan and Krillin and Chi-Chi and her mother and father, all staring at her with hateful eyes and chanting, "_You have betrayed us_."

* * *

"How much longer?" Vegeta asks, conversing in hushed tones to his sister so that his subordinates cannot hear their conversation, even though the two are down below still training.

"Not much. We need to kill him soon, Vegeta." Azuki says, her tone uncharacteristically serious and her eyes dark. "We can't afford to let Frieza have that kind of information."

"What does it matter? He'll find the Rebels eventually anyway, and they mean nothing to us."

"They'll mean something to us if we want a chance to defeat Frieza once and for all. We'll need allies, Vegeta; we'll need an army to contend with his. He has too many forces; you, me, Nappa, and Radditz can't kill them all _and _kill Frieza at once. They'll overwhelm us."

"Shut up, they'll hear you."

"We need to tell them soon. They hate him just as much as you and I, and once we tell them the truth about Vegetasei, they will hate him even more."

"It's too risky. And they're idiots; they'll let something slip before we're ready."

"They aren't _that _stupid…ok, ok, don't look at me like that. They aren't the brightest, but they wouldn't do something as unforgivable as that. And besides, even if we have to run before we're ready, it won't be that big of a deal. We're almost there, Vegeta, I can _taste_ the transformation."

"You will not be the one to ascend, _I _will."

"Yeah yeah, I'm the one with the greater potential, dear brother."

"Shut up, or I'll personally remind you of who is the stronger."

"Oh, don't forget. I lasted an hour with you so we get to go to my favorite planet in the whole wide Universe."

Vegeta turns, glares. "I don't understand why I don't just blast you out of existence right now. You've made me soft, stupid girl."

Azuki turns, lying on her stomach instead on Vegeta's bed and grinning at him. "You can be said to be a lot of things, dear brother, and soft is most certainly not one of them."

"If we spend too many days on Shrina, Frieza will punish us even greater."

"A few days late will be nothing compared to when he finds out his captive is dead. And I'll take the slave down, as well. Give you a break."

"You're growing much too attached. It needs to end."

"I am _not _attached. If the situation called for it, I could rip her head off right now."

"It's only a matter of time. You certainly are the most emotional of us."

"I am _not_!"

"Hn."

Azuki laughs at her brother's characteristic grunt, her fangs glinting in the dim light of Vegeta's room. She crosses her legs and leans back against the pillows of his bed, making herself comfortable, and then surveys Vegeta for a moment, who looks deep in thought. "Why don't you just fuck her already?" Azuki asks, and laughs at the shocked and then angry glare that she gets.

"What are you on about _now_?"

"The slave. Just fuck her. Get it over with. Get it out of the way."

Vegeta looks as if he is considering hitting her for a moment, and Azuki tenses. But, he just says, "You disgust me."

"Hey, it's not a bad thing. She's sexy, has a nice ass, and I bet she would be a great fuck. I can sense these things." Azuki grins dangerously, waggling her eyebrows. "You haven't fucked anyone in a while, either. Blue _is _your favorite color, am I right?"

"You need to get out of my room. Now."

"Aw, come on, Vegeta. I'm just messing with you; didn't know she was such a soft spot for you."

Vegeta takes a swing at her head and Azuki ducks just in time, grinning. He bares his fangs and growls low in his throat; a serious threat that tells her to drop the joke. "Fine, fine," she says, lifting her hands in defeat and knowing when it was time to stop.

"Kill the captive if you see fit."

"The slave?"

"No, the man."

"Oh. I'm going to find out where the Headquarters of the Rebels are first, then kill him. Or else I wouldn't have gone to such extents."

"Whatever. Frieza _will _punish us."

"We can handle it."

"I know. Blame it on the girl."

Azuki rolls her eyes. "This can be our chance to tell them."

"They aren't ready. Blame it on the slave. We'll make a show."

"Don't _hurt_ the poor thing for something she had no control over."

"I will do what I must."

And Azuki stares at him, knowing that somehow, somewhere along the way, they have become exactly like Frieza. Was that the tyrant's plan all along?

* * *

Bulma scrubs furiously at one of the plates the Saiyans had use, trying to get out a particularly stubborn stain that is simply mocking her by not coming off. She growls and scrubs harder, annoyed by the damn Saiyans that can't seem to clean up after themselves.

She flinches when a door bangs open from somewhere outside the kitchen, and drops the plate in shock when the next door to slam is the one into where she is. "What?" She asks, seeing the murderous glare in Azuki's eyes. Vegeta strolls in then, looking at Azuki questioningly, followed by Radditz and Nappa, all eager to hear what has gone wrong.

"The prisoner is dead." Azuki says, her voice low, her glare intense. And, to Bulma's horror, directed at her. "The only one to have gone in there is _you."_

"How?" Vegeta asks calmly, and it scares Bulma even more.

"Mirror was shattered. Sliced across the neck. Tried to make it look like a suicide, but there is no damn way that that motherfucker was able to move. I broke every bone in his damn body."

Vegeta turns to Bulma again, and she splutters, shaking her head in shock. "No, I didn't, I swear – "

Vegeta does not even let her finish her sentence. He backhands her violently, sending her flying into the sink and banging her hip then falling to the ground. She cries out, fearing more, but Vegeta simply walks away, apparently done. "Dispose of his body," he commands, and Radditz and Nappa hurry to do his bidding and get out of his way.

"Azuki, I didn't – " Bulma tries, her hip and cheek throbbing, but it is not a pain she cannot handle, and she turns to the young Saiyan with a desperate pleading in her tone. Azuki stares at her for a moment, nothing but blank detachment in her eyes, and leaves the room, leaving Bulma with nothing but despair and confusion. She slowly picks herself off of the floor, wondering who could've killed the man she had seen only the day before. It had probably been a blessing for the man, yes, but certainly Vegeta had not done it, or Azuki. But Nappa or Radditz wouldn't not betray their Prince, would they? And wouldn't Azuki have been able to _smell _the scent of the last person to have been in the room? Unless she just refused to believe that one of her main allies would do such a thing.

But no, Bulma is not a fool, and they have mistaken her for one. She knows that Vegeta hates Frieza, and figures that Azuki must as well. But why would they pin the blame on her? And would they go so far as to kill someone Frieza desperately wanted and risk the punishment?

She knows the answer. Of course they would. They are Saiyans.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I know what you did."

Vegeta looks up at her, and promptly back to his armor that he is tampering with, judging her to be of no importance. Bulma steps into his room fully, hands on her hips, waiting patiently. Finally, Vegeta grants her a response. "And what would that be?"

"I know you killed him."

His body tenses for the slightest of moments before he recovers, looking at her and grinning ever so slightly. "Oh? I've killed many people in my days, you'll have to clarify."

"The leader of the Rebellion."

His smile widens, and if Bulma was ever unsure, all of it is gone now. He rises and stalks over to her, leaning in so his face is dangerously close to her's, but she does not back away. "Perhaps we underestimated you, then." He whispers into her ear, and Bulma shuts her eyes for a fraction of a second. He begins to circle her, his tail flicking between her legs and rubbing against her thigh. "But, for all you're concerned, _you _entered his room, shattered the glass, and slit his throat."

"I did not."

Vegeta laughs, and the sound runs a chill down Bulma's spine. "But you did. You did."

She turns to look into his eyes and glares as hatefully as she can. "I don't understand why you are so intent on putting the blame on me."

"Because _you _did it."

Bulma finally steps away from him, throwing up her hands in anger. "I didn't! I didn't and you know it!"

"If you want a trip down to Shrina, then you _did." _She glares. He smirks. Stupid Saiyan with his stupid bribery. He _knows _how much she wants to go down to that planet. Knows it, and is using it against her. "So? Did you kill him?"

She grinds her teeth together, clenching and unclenching her fists. "Yes." She says, pouring as much of her anger out into that stupid word.

Vegeta's smirk widens. "Good. Because I don't like liars."

After she leaves, Vegeta looks back at his armor. They underestimated the slave, that was for sure. He had thought that she wouldn't figure out that he set her up, much less confront her about it. But he isn't ready for Radditz and Nappa to know; they are too simple, too free, and he knows they would let something slip easily if persuaded in the right way. He won't let that happen.

* * *

The planet that they are nearing is smaller than Earth, and, from the land that she can see, is pure silver from buildings and roads. There is not a speck of green, and she wonders what color it was before it was made into the gigantic market that it is. Azuki is buzzing in anticipation, and Bulma cannot help the fact that her anger is sliding away in all of her eagerness.

They land carefully in a gigantic landing strip packed tightly with all sorts of spacecrafts and ships. Bulma gets so near to the glass that her nose is touching it, staring at all the other models and wishing she could just strip them apart to see how they work.

She, Azuki, and Vegeta step out (apparently the last time Azuki went into the planet she did not return for three days straight and forgot to buy fuel) and they lead her onto a moving strip of sidewalk that delivers them out of the landing strip. They pass under gigantic metallic arches, and everything is silver and metal or concrete, so futuristic, and then Azuki and Vegeta step off of the sidewalk, walking through some doors. Bulma follows hurriedly, pushing through the doors and the sight that greets her is every woman's dream.

Rows and rows of shops line a moving sidewalk, each shop crammed against each other, for as far as the eye can see, and the place is bustling with aliens pushing and shoving each other to get into certain stores. Everyone is shoulder-to-shoulder, the place is so crowded, and most of the women have men following them with ridiculously large amounts of bags in hand. She looks to the left and to the right, and it seems the same for miles, all metallic buildings crammed into every inch of space that can be, on either side of the sidewalk. In some places the sidewalk branches off to the left or right, leading to another row of buildings, and those on them must step off to change direction or either continue going straight. Men in black suits and helmets that have visors covering their faces are stationed at every corner, their arms folded over their chests, most likely crowd control.

"Bulma, come on!" Azuki calls out, running to step onto the sidewalk. Bulma chases after her, grinning, and Vegeta follows, grumbling to himself.

"How do we know where to go?" Bulma asks Azuki as they pass several shops without stopping.

"Trust me, I know where the good places are."

"We're getting food first." Vegeta commands, so a few minutes later they step off the moving sidewalk and onto the stationary one and enter a three-story building.

The interior is much different from the exterior. It is all polished wood floors and shelves and shelves of assortments of foods, and Bulma squeals in excitement and rushes towards the chocolate that catches her eye. "We _have _to get it," Bulma commands, "I'll make you guys the best desserts you've ever had."

So Azuki bags a few pounds and some flour and other ingredients that Bulma needs and utensils, while Vegeta leaves them to get the meat, which is on the third floor. Bulma finds fruits and vegetables and she begs Azuki to buy her some, and when they come upon the ice cream she nearly cries, and there's _pizza_ and _burgers _and she is so excited to eat something other than pure meat that it washes away all her last remnants of anger for the two Saiyans pinning the blame on her. Azuki buys her whatever she wants, and two hours later they are leaving the store with Vegeta carrying at least twenty bags. "I'm taking these to the ship," he says, and floats into the air so he can simply fly over the crowd with his purchases.

"He won't be back for awhile," says Azuki, grinning. "Poor thing's already had his fill of shopping. So let's go crazy."

So crazy they go. They enter every clothing shop they can find and Bulma finds some deliciously gorgeous dresses while Azuki peruses through the training gear. Bulma buys some sweatpants and T-shirts (oh how she has missed T-shirts), and some underwear and bras, and Azuki purchases some skin-tight spandex shorts and a few black bras that the teenager will most likely train in. Bulma convinces Azuki to go into a pet shop, but with all the pleading and begging in the world, she cannot convince the teenage Saiyan to buy one of the adorable puppies or kittens ("Vegeta would _never _forgive me, and besides, of what use _are_ they?").

They then look at assortments of jewels but buy nothing, knowing that they have no need for such things. And then shoes, where Bulma buys several pairs of sandals and sneakers, and then Bulma does some more begging for a puppy (oh how she wants a companion) but gets nowhere.

When they enter a music shop, Bulma finds a CD player with lines of CDs that, somehow, must have been taken from Earth. Bulma literally gets on the floor to beg Azuki, telling her that she'll love music, and Bulma finds out that with shameless flattery Azuki is more likely to buy something.

By the time they return to the ship that night they have only covered a fraction of the planet and Azuki is carrying a ten-foot tall pile of bags. Vegeta does some yelling because they didn't even think of fuel, and then Bulma spends the remainder of the night making ten pizzas and five cakes that the Saiyans devour completely.

"So…" Bulma prompts, looking at all the Saiyans after they have practically licked their plates. "How'd you like it?"

"It was satisfactory," Azuki says, grinning at the deflated look Bulma gives her.

"Meh," says Radditz, pushes his clean plate aside, "it was kind of disgusting, to be honest."

"I hate you all."

The next day Vegeta joins them again, this time vowing not to leave until they purchase fuel. It is not until they duck into a few back alleys and come upon a completely deserted strip, darkened due to the tightness and the tall, empty buildings that surround them, does Bulma begin to feel a bit suspicious.

"Where are we?" she asks, looking around for any other sign of life besides their own, and only finds a few shady looking characters in shaggy, torn clothing. When one gets a bit close to Azuki, the teenage Saiyan leans forward, bares her fangs, and hisses in a way reminiscent of a cat, and the man instantly shrinks back and disappears down another dark alleyway.

"This is the place to get the cheapest fuel," Vegeta responds, striding a few feet ahead of them. "Not many know of it."

"Yeah, I can tell," Bulma says, rubbing her arms self-consciously at the eeriness of this dank, dark alleyway; a sharp contrast to the bustling streets in the other parts of the planet.

It all happens so fast.

One moment they are walking down the alley, Vegeta a few feet ahead, then Azuki, and Bulma only a bit behind her, and then Azuki moves so fast that Bulma does not see her but _feels _her dragging her to the ground. They hit it hard, and Azuki is back up only when Bulma has registered that she has hit the ground. "What was that for – " she begins to ask, but her question is answered as several dark figures dash through an alleyway ahead, and small, fist-sized objects begin flying at them from all directions.

Azuki and Vegeta blast a few out of the way, and Bulma screams, flattening herself against the ground with her arms over her neck. Something grabs her neck and hauls her up and she shouts in alarm, kicking and clawing at the attacker who simply clamps a hand over her mouth. Vegeta turns, seeing her predicament, and begins to make his way towards her, his eyes dark with fury, while Azuki is corralled into another alley and turns, disappearing, with a few more of the men on her tail. The people are dressed in full black with visors covering their faces, just like the crowd control in the more bustling parts of the planet.

The man holding Bulma tosses one of the objects towards Vegeta, and the Saiyan Prince goes to swat it away with his hand with a scoff, but once the object comes in contact with his hand it plummets, attaching itself to the ground and bringing Vegeta down with it. He roars and brings up his free hand to send a ki blast at an approaching attacker, but nothing happens. Vegeta stares at his hand in complete shock, and tries to wrench his arm out of the contraption that is holding him down, but to no avail. It is only then that Bulma can see the horror in the Prince's eyes.

Bulma elbows the man holding her in the ribs and his grip loosens, and she brings her foot back and tries to smash it into his crotch with success. He moans and let's go – it is obvious these people do not possess Saiyan strength, or she would never have been able to get free. She sprints to Vegeta and, already knowing it's pointless, tries to claw at the black, round disc that has captured his hand and buried itself into the ground. She pulls and tugs and smashes at it, it can't be _that_ hard, and she won't let this happen again, she won't let her friends get killed again she can't let him die again Yamcha –

"Bulma!"

Bulma looks up into the Saiyan's eyes, surprised, and she realizes he has been trying to get his attention for some time now. Her eyes are wet and she doesn't understand what he wants, just _say_ it –

"Run."

Bulma shakes her head, she won't leave again, she won't, because she left last time and it didn't help anything because he still died.

"You idiot, run and get Nappa and Radditz, _go!"_

The other men must be too preoccupied with Azuki and a few are crowding their leader that Bulma had hurt, making sure he is alright, because they know the job is done, they know the monster has been captured. Bulma backs away from Vegeta, fear in her eyes, and turns to sprint away.

"_Hakta_!" The leader commands, pointing at her, and Bulma tries to escape to one of the dark alleyways but the other men are spurred by the command to capture her. She scrambles, but even though they do not have super speed, they have longer legs and are stronger and they catch her. One wraps his arms around her waist and heaves, and she screams, clawing and scratching and kicking. The déjà vu is overwhelming and she cries, she can't help it, and they pull her to the ground and pin her arms to her back with a similar contraption that has trapped Vegeta to the ground. The Saiyan Prince is thrashing as the nervous men approach him, kicking and punching and trying his best to still do some damage even though he is trapped. He is moving so quickly that they cannot use the same contraptions to strap down his remaining arm and legs, and he is obviously too dangerous to approach, even with the loss of his ki.

"_Freina yuk_," says the leader, and his men all pull out masks from bags that are strapped to their backs, moving the visors so that their faces are visible for a fraction of a second – not long enough for her to make out any features – and then they tighten the masks onto their faces. The leader pulls out a pill-sized object and throws it to the ground once all the masks are secure, and a green gas immediately shrouds them all.

Bulma meets Vegeta's eyes and she sees the fury, the anger, but there is something underneath it all, something deeper – there is a hint of apprehension, and that scares her more than anything.

His dark eyes are the last thing she sees before the world blackens.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, and I hope you guys liked this one as well! Sorry it's so short!  
**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Her tongue feels too large for her own mouth, and it takes a few attempts to actually be able to swallow past the dryness, and there is an underlying sense of panic and, for a moment, she cannot recall why it is there. There is another force pushing down on her limbs, making her want to stay down, why is it so hard to sit up?

When Bulma remembers the events that brought her to unconsciousness, she forces herself to sit up quickly, instantly overwhelmed by a wave of dizziness at the extra force it had taken just to get her body to move. She blinks a few times and the room she is in comes into focus.

She's in a cell.

It is small, about half the size of her room on the ship, and one of the walls is made up of bars. Vegeta is sitting up, his back to the wall opposite her, watching her. His gaze is dark, full of hate and anger and frustration. Discs are clasped around his wrists, and a collar is secured around his neck, like he is some kind of animal. She feels a twinge in her heart at the sight.

Vegeta breaks eye contact with her and turns his icy gaze to the room outside of their cage, which is nothing more than some empty space, about twice the size of their cell, and a door on the outer side. "Where are we?" She asks, her voice hoarse.

He continues to gaze out their cell, his eyes fixated on the door, and answers, "I don't know." He turns to look at her again. "Don't tell them anything."

"What?"

"They want information. Don't you dare open your fucking mouth. Keep it closed."

Bulma nods in understanding, and in that moment, the door opens and a man walks in, flanked by two others. The leader is humanoid; tall and muscular, with brown, cropped hair and piercing gray eyes; his followers are alien, one with blue skin and the other with skin the color of snow. Vegeta stands, his spine stiff, and lets out a feral growl that sends a chill down Bulma's spine.

"Now now," says the leader, his voice calm and smooth, "my name is Krandal. I just want some answers, and then I will leave you two." He nods to one of the men following him and the blue-skinned alien takes out a clicker and presses a button. Vegeta instantly crumples to the ground, his face screwed in pain, and the cuffs on his wrists and collar on his neck begin to flash red.

In horror, Bulma scrambles to Vegeta, placing a hand on each side of his face and screaming, "Stop it! Stop it now, you're hurting him!"

The two aliens step inside the cell while Vegeta is incapacitated and grab Bulma by each of her arms, hauling her into the air and dragging her out of the cage. Vegeta cracks an eye and tries to lunge towards them, something like a roar coming out of his mouth, but almost as quickly he smashes into the ground, wincing in pain. The second Bulma is out of the cell it seems like an extra heavy weight is lifted off of her shoulders, and she realizes that the gravity in the room had been higher than normal.

The leader ties Bulma's hands behind her back quickly and pulls her to her feet. Another button is pressed and Vegeta, ever so slowly, lifts himself from the floor to glare at the men that are now on the other side of the bars. There is fire in his eyes, fire that promises to burn once it can be unleashed.

Bulma struggles but as soon as she decides to move a long knife is casually placed against her neck. She goes limp in her captor's arms quickly, fear striking her. Vegeta's expression does not change.

"There's a good girl," says Krandal, "just cooperate and this will all go smoothly. Prince Vegeta," he spits Vegeta's title as if it is a curse, and Vegeta growls, low in his throat, "this is quite simple, so I'm sure you'll understand. All you have to do is tell me the location of my father, the leader of the Resistance that you captured, and I won't kill the girl." The blade tightens to add impact to his threat, and Bulma squirms in discomfort, staring at Vegeta with all the intensity she can make herself possess, pleading, even though she is quite certain that Vegeta will not give a damn about her health. It is a mistake that this Krandal has not realized he has made.

Vegeta refuses to look at Bulma, and instead his obsidian eyes bore into Krandal, his brows furrowed, his grip on the bars caging him in tight. Bulma keeps her eyes on him, begging with every nonverbal message that she can, _please don't let him kill me please don't let me die this way_. And then Vegeta says exactly what she knew he would, but it hurts nonetheless. "Do it. She is of no use to me."

The knife against her neck does not tighten, nor does it loosen. "Don't test me, monkey," Krandal spits, and Vegeta's tail bristles, "I'll do it."

"Then do it, fool. Do I need to be any clearer? I. Don't. Care." Vegeta says the last three words slowly and clearly, as if talking to an idiot, and Bulma feels her stomach twisting itself in knots. She does not want to die this way; does not want her body to slide to the floor, bleeding, with every member of the room not blinking an eye because they don't give a shit whether she is alive or not. She doesn't want to go this way.

Krandal snarls in anger and, much to Bulma's surprise, releases her, shoving her back in the cell and closing the door with a resounding click. The man stalks away without another word, his two followers close on his tail, and slams the door behind him. The sound echoes in the room and Bulma pushes herself to the corner of the cell, farthest away from Vegeta, and refuses to look at him, folding her arms across her chest and snarling, "Fuck you."

Vegeta does not even react to her words of hatred, instead pacing back and forth next to the bars, his tail swinging behind him, looking very much like the animal they are treating him as.

After a few moments of silence in which Bulma's anger only escalates, Vegeta turns to regard her with disgust, and snarls, "Do you really think that fool would have killed you? He is pathetically soft, and I can tell."

Bulma deflates, surprise and shock replacing all the anger at the closest thing to an explanation for his actions as she is going to get. She stares at Vegeta, and he continues to glare out the cell.

"Azuki will come," Bulma says finally. "If they caught her, she would be in here with us now."

"We must assume the worst," Vegeta responds with military precision. "For all we know, we're on a different planet or completely hidden. We cannot sit around and wait to die."

There is something about the cold familiarity in his eyes; something about the calmness and detachment in which he is treating the situation that tells her he has been through this many times before. The thought calms her somewhat, but does nothing to stop the terror in her gut.

* * *

Krandal slams his fist against the wall, growling in frustration. He knows that the Saiyan knew he would not kill the girl, and is angry at himself for the fact that he could not raise a hand against the woman who has done nothing against him.

His eyes flash, memory of the woman screaming as the Saiyan went down; and he knows, _knows _what to do now and the thought gives him some satisfaction.

She is the weak one.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell them that you're a slave?"

Bulma, surprised at the sudden question, searches the Saiyan's face for any hint of what he is trying to say. "What do you mean?"

"If you told them, they probably would've let you go."

Bulma is silent as she thinks over his words. Honestly, she hadn't really thought of it, and it is too late now because they would just assume she was trying to find a way out. And now, viewing the Saiyan staring intensely at her, his dark brows pulled together as he considers her, she knows that she wouldn't have left him. "I won't leave you."

He scoffs, turning away from her and barking, "Like you're any help to me," and folding his arms across his chest. She does not miss the sparkle of confusion in his eyes, or the way his tail unfurls from his waist and begins to wave slowly in the air.

The door opens, and Bulma's heart plummets straight to her feet. She raises her eyes, watching Krandal march in, this time with six attendants flanking him. The last one slams the door behind him, the sound echoing around the room with a sense of finality. Krandal nods to his assistants, and it is like déjà vu all over again as they press a button, Vegeta crumples, and they open the door.

Except this time they don't go for her. This time they circle Vegeta, hauling him up by his arms. He snarls, lashing out at them but his hits lack power and glance off the men, and they pull him out of the cell, locking the door behind them and leaving Bulma alone in the cage, staring out at the others in shocked awe.

As Vegeta roars in anger they bolt down his ankles and wrists to the ground with the same machinery that got him captured in the first place, and Krandal pulls out a rod from his belt, clicking it once and making a whip emerge from nowhere, trailing along the ground. Three of the men rip off Vegeta's armor, tossing it carelessly aside.

Bulma grips the bars and pulls herself to her feet, fighting against the enhanced gravity, eyes fixed on Krandal and she whispers, "Please don't."

He does.

Everything stops; nothing moves except for Krandal as he lifts the arm with the whip, his eyes flash with something like victory, Bulma screams (no) as the whip stays suspended for half a second and the whip falls, cleaving Vegeta's skin and no stop _don't._

"Please, please stop!" Bulma shrieks, her voice reaching desperation, he must stop no one can be this cruel _stop._

Krandal looks at her, then, and says, "I may not be able to do harm to you, as you have done nothing to me, but I _know_ that he deserves this for everything that he has destroyed."

And, without another word, Krandal continues, barraging Vegeta's back over and over again until the Saiyan Prince is kneeling in a pool of his own blood, but Vegeta has not bat an eye. Krandal steps in front of Vegeta, his back to Bulma, blocking him from her sight, and she desperately reaches for him to grab him and make it stop make this violence stop please.

And Krandal flogs him, right in the chest, again and again and again and he won't stop, he won't stop and one hits Vegeta's face - Bulma lunges for him, slamming her chest against the bars in a vain attempt to reach Krandal over and over again until her torso must be bruised, and when it is obvious she can't stop the horror she shuts her eyes as tightly as she can.

The moment her eyes close there is a shouted command in a different language and the door to her cell opens, and one of the attendants takes a fistful of her hair and pulls her head back, and then another forces both of her eyes open to watch, and no matter how much she struggles nothing stops them from forcing her to see this bloody torture.

And then Krandal tosses aside the bloodied whip and pulls out a thick rod that looks metal – he lifts it in the air and in that instant her blue eyes meet Vegeta's dark ones (the men have left her cell, as now she cannot look away with a kind of morbid fascination) and she knows she is crying but can't stop, and their eye contact does not break until Krandal uses the rod and swings it as hard as he can at Vegeta's skull.

Vegeta's resolve breaks then; he crumples, his head on the ground, and Krandal goes insane, using the rod to flay every bit of flesh he can reach, humanity lost as the man tastes blood and cannot stop himself – Bulma's screams do not faze him, and he pounds the Saiyan in some sort of sick retribution.

A few minutes later Bulma's throat is hoarse and her screams have lost their loudness, and finally Krandal raises, blood staining his pristine clothes and something is different, something in his eyes is gone. He leans over again and for a moment Bulma is terrified he will begin again, but instead he takes a fist of Vegeta's hair and pulls the Saiyan as upright as he will go, his hands still chained to the ground. Vegeta's face is bruised and bloody, his lip swollen and his eyes squeezed shut. The rod is replaced with a jagged knife, and the tip of the knife is pressed against Vegeta's skull.

Bulma sobs, her knuckles white against the bars, "Please, please don't," she begs, her voice cracking, tears staining her cheeks, "Don't do it."

Krandal is breathing hard, and he is just able to gasp out, "Tell me where my father is."

Bulma will tell him anything, anything to get him to stop, but fear makes her slightly sensible. "If I tell you, you'll just kill him anyway."

He stares at her for a moment, as if reevaluating her, and says, "I swear on my honor – on my father – that I will not."

She does not hesitate. "He's dead."

She can see it, can see the rage reforming in his eyes and his lips pull back into an inhuman snarl, and his grip on the knife tightens, and she knows that he will kill him now so she screams, "No, I killed him, _I did_!"

Vegeta is forgotten as the man charges her cell and he grips the bars; were his eyes not gray before, why are they black?, his fists right above her's (she does not flinch, she cannot), and says with deadly seriousness, "You just made a mistake. I could not harm you before because you had raised no hand against me, but _now _I will have no qualms about causing you pain."

And maybe it is the fact that he looks so evil now, maybe it is because she cannot stand the way he was absorbed in Vegeta's flogging, maybe it is because she knows that he is good and she evil (for she is on Vegeta's side, and he the side against Frieza) and hates him for picking a side so easily, but she cannot stop herself from spitting in his face.

He roars and reaches for her throat and Bulma falls back, the enhanced gravity pulling her down and making her land painfully on her butt, right out of his reach. She is afraid he will enter the cell and kill her right then, but instead he motions to his men, who release Vegeta from his bonds and dump him gracelessly back in the cell, and leaves, the door slamming behind him and leaving a kind of unnatural silence in his wake.

Bulma crawls to Vegeta's side, flipping him over so that he is on his back and sobbing at his state, pulling his head onto her lap – what was once so proud now lies broken. He cracks an eye open and scowls, one arm halfheartedly lifting to swat her away, and she nearly laughs (nearly) at his stubbornness. Instead she carefully pulls off the strips of what is left of his shirt, tossing it aside and wincing at the severity of the gashes in his back and on his chest.

"Vegeta – "

"It's nothing," he croaks, too tired and weakened to even move off of her lap, and does his best to glare hatefully at her.

"I'm sorry."

And she doesn't know what it is – maybe how his face is no longer in a perpetual scowl, maybe how he looks so defeated and broken, maybe the way in which his eyes show nothing but pure curiosity as he looks at her – but something in his expression seems almost like an invitation.

She brushes some of his hair aside and kisses his temple as gently and lovingly as she can manage.

His expression immediately darkens, but Bulma ignores him. She pulls back and traces her thumb against where her lips just made contact, rubbing in soothing circles until his scowl vanishes and he closes his eyes.

Vegeta exhales.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter! Please review!**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

When an old 'friend' contacted her in response to her message she had sent out on the secret galactic interwebs, Azuki had been slightly surprised, but also pleased, as this man owed her quite the favor. In all honesty, Vegeta had had no inclination to destroy the man's business when they had been on the planet a while back, and Azuki had _not _persuaded him to stop out of the goodness of her heart…but he didn't need to know that.

She has regretted her decision to make for Radditz and Nappa before checking on Vegeta for a while, now, and Azuki doesn't usually regret her decisions (she likes to think that everything she does is right). But she _thought_ he was right behind her, and dodging the men chasing her had been thought consuming enough. When she got to their ship she knew that he had been captured, and with so many of the people chasing them, they had been forced to take off. It was only with Radditz's superior piloting skills had they been able to get the idiots chasing them off of their tail.

When they found Vegeta, she would be sure to let him know she had backtracked, seen him captured, been terribly outnumbered, had fought heroically to get out of the situation, gotten injured, barely made it back to their ship, had had to save Radditz and Nappa from sure death, and had piloted their ship single-handedly to get away from the men in a ship that traveled twice their speed. Yeah, sounded good.

She knows he is alive, and has no doubts about the subject, so does not worry. Vegeta is too strong and prideful to be killed by such a pathetic group of people who simply happened to have some nice technology.

But its up to her now to get him out (the annoyingly difficult stuff is always left to her, damn it), so a few days ago, she had put out an anonymous message on the secret webs that she needed a tracker. And the man who owed her had eagerly contacted her, saying that he had someone perfect for the job. He had been in for an unpleasant surprise when he discovered who had put out the message.

Luckily, the planet the man had been on was close to where they were, so it had not taken long to find him, and currently she follows him through the factory of slave children that he owns with pride. He is humanoid and quite handsome, if Azuki does say so herself, watching his ass as he leads her through the factory (maybe that's the reason she decided to convince him he owed her a favor).

Azuki steps around a dirty child sitting on the floor with distaste, surveying the room with her nose high in the air, already unsure of her decision to go through with this. The room (dirt floor, classy) is filled with children all standing in an assembly line making some kind of product (the use of which Azuki cannot identify), and each and every one of the children is caked in dirt, with long nails, long hair, and rags hanging limply from their thin bodies. Azuki sticks out her tongue, a sign of disgust in her culture, and the children hurry by her without looking up. Azuki pouts slightly, unused to not getting attention when she wants it.

"The best of the best is found here," says Striekna, the man she is following, casting a nervous look over his shoulder at the Saiyan who slowly follows him. Azuki grabs the back of a child's shirt who passes her (the boy has to be no older than four) and lifts him into the air, bringing him eye-level to her. The kid squirms, and the man she had been following also nervously shuffles his feet. "They seem quite pathetic," Azuki says, and she truthfully doesn't care, but she knows it will bother Striekna so says it anyway.

"They're quite the good work force, I do tell you – "

"I don't care about these," Azuki cuts him off, tossing the child back on the floor, who eagerly scurries away to return to his work. "You said you had what I was looking for, and I expect to get it."

Striekna bows ungracefully, nodding his head quickly and flinching away from Azuki as if struck (which delights her, oh how she likes it when people fear her). "Yes, yes, I did not lie, I did not."

He leads her through a door and they come in a dimly lit room of crates; Striekna leads her through the maze and towards a door at the far end of the room. Azuki hops on one of the crates, jumping nimbly from box to box with a grin (she deserves some fun, after all), only barely landing on top of them before skipping to the next one. She sees the way he winces each time she steps on a crate, so, with much delight, she lands on the edge of one, causing it to dump all of its contents onto the floor, and the glass objects that were inside shatter into millions of pieces. The man flinches terribly, and Azuki feigns regret as she lands softly on the floor, placing a hand over her chest and looking shocked. "I'm _so_ sorry. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No, not at all, not at all Miss," says Striekna, faking a smile.

"Wait," Azuki commands, delighting in the way the man nearly trips in his haste to come to a halt, and sits on top of one of the crates with a smile at Striekna, which only serves to make him more nervous. "How do you know this boy can find people? How did you learn that he has this power?"

"Well, Miss Azuki, the boy has a rather strong attachment to a certain girl. She was taken off the planet when she fell rather ill, we treat our children real nice, you see – "

"Hm, if you treat them nicely they'll have no respect for you at all," quips Azuki, simply to watch the man try to take back his words.

"Oh yes, yes of course, we beat them frequently, but we don't get new ones too often and so it's a real shame if they die – "

"Whatever, tell me about the boy."

Striekna bows hurriedly. "Of course, of course. Well, when the girl was taken off planet, he went berserk. He was asking everyone around why we'd taken her off planet, but there's no way he could have known that. I was the only one aware, and he had not seen her for a week, due to her condition, but the second she was gone he knew. He's quite strong, too, you see, so we have to threaten him that if he kills me one of my associates will kill the girl."

Azuki laughs. "He bought that? Your associates would be delighted to see you dead, Striekna," says Azuki, hopping off of the crate and passing Striekna, her tail uncoiling and rubbing against his thigh as she passes. He nearly pisses himself, to Azuki's delight. "Take me to him, then."

Striekna leads her through the back door and into the open. The planet he operates on is not a clean one; Azuki has found that most slave planets are not very pretty. It is a dirt planet, much like Uni, where they had purchased Bulma. Children, at least twenty, crowd around the back wall of the compound, digging holes into the hard dirt with bleeding fingers. Azuki surveys them all calmly, surprised at the way they do not even look to see who the visitor is. Fool he may be, but Striekna is good at what he does.

"What are they digging for?" Azuki asks.

Striekna wrings his hands nervously. "Nothing, your Majesty, but it helps keep them strong and busy when the others are working the factory."

Azuki nods. "Bring the boy to me then."

Striekna makes a strange clicking noise with his tongue and barks an order. One of the boys stops working, wipes sweat from his brow, and hurries forward. He is young; perhaps eight, nine? His hair is long and unruly, his eyes dark, his muscles toned and defined in a way that speaks of strength gained from something other than digging holes. The boy bows, and Azuki does not miss the strain in his back, or the glint of hatred in his eye. She is no stranger to slavery.

"Yes, Master Striekna?"

"You will be answering to me, boy, and not that fucker." There is the tiniest flicker of laughter in his eyes as the boy's master flinches at Azuki's words. "Now tell me, can you find people? I need you to locate someone for me."

The kid's eyes dart from Striekna to Azuki, curious. "Only people I know, and only when they're not too far away." He responds calmly.

Azuki stiffens, her tail unraveling from her waist and waving slowly behind her in a threatening way. Striekna begins to back away, the fear in his eyes obvious, and shakes his head vehemently. "Now, your Majesty, I had no idea, no idea at all that he – "

And then she sees it, sees the tail sagging behind the boy, limp in the dirt, sees the way his eyes follow her tail with slight familiarity and curiosity. She turns (the boy flinches, he saw her move, there is potential there), and in a flash, she has grabbed Striekna's collar and pulled him so close to her that his nose almost touches her own. "Striekna, dear," Azuki sneers, licking her lips purposefully, and the man blanches, "are you that much of an idiot? Or did you truly not notice a fucking _tail _on one of your cargo? Did you not think to contact me or my brother to tell us you had a _Saiyan?_ Oh, Striekna, even after I was so kind to you all those years ago?" Azuki smiles dangerously, her tail coiling around Striekna's thigh.

Striekna shakes his head furiously, too scared to move. "No, no, he is an Earthling!" he cries. "His hair grows; Saiyan's hair does not grow!"

"Then he is a mutt, you fool!" Azuki snarls, his idiocy making her angry, and slams the man into the ground and places her boot on top of his face, pressing down hard. Some of the children have stopped to watch, now, hope in their faces. "He's a half-breed." Azuki turns to the boy, who has been watching the exchange in pure surprise and shock. "If you answer one question correctly, boy, you can save this man's life." Azuki knows she is pushing it; knows that Earth was a fairly decent sized planet and the chances are slim, but she hasn't killed someone in a while and she would _love _to eliminate this spineless fool, nice ass or not. "You can find those you know, correct?" A nod. "Do you know a blue-haired woman by the name of Bulma?" The surprise and recognition of the slave's name is all Azuki needs. "Alright, is she nearby?" He closes his eyes for a moment, and then nods, slowly. She lifts her foot off of Striekna and leans down, picking the man up out of the dirt and slapping him on the back in one fluid motion, enjoying the way he winces. "You're lucky, Striekna. Personally, if I was the kid, I would've lied just to watch you die. You're coming with me, kid."

She moves towards the door and the boy trots after her, leaving his former master behind in the dirt. "Wait, you must pay!" Striekna calls after her, and Azuki turns slowly on her heel, smiling dangerously. "I-I mean, business is slow, please, I am running out of funds."

Azuki phases in front of him and he jumps terribly, and she slaps his cheek lightly and laughs. "Oh, Striekna, perhaps you'd rather I kill you so you don't have to worry about credits?"

"N-No, please-"

"I'll bring him back. I'll have no more use for him when I'm done." With that, Azuki slaps Striekna's ass, gives it a squeeze (she is a girl, after all, and she's marveled at his rear long enough to earn a touch), and turns, entering the factory with the boy on her heel, Striekna too frightened to follow. As they weave through the cargo, Azuki in an infinitely better mood, she thinks that nothing can ruin this success.

That is, until the boy stops in the factory room, glances at a girl with black hair (it could be blond for all Azuki knows, the dirt is caked so thick) and blue eyes, and shakes his head. "I won't leave her."

"You will do what I say," Azuki growls threateningly, hoping to have some kind of impact on the child, but he has dealt with evils already and she has not yet given him a reason to fear her.

"If you kill me, you lose what you seek. I'm not going without her."

Azuki glances at the girl, who is watching the exchange with surprisingly calm eyes, and rubs her temple in annoyance. She can't kill the kid, because then who knows how long it will take to find a tracker, and if she kills the girl, he probably will refuse to cooperate. She doesn't like wasting time, either, especially with Vegeta in who knows what conditions, and torture could take too long.

"Fine, bring your damn girlfriend, but one screw-up and I'll kill her, and make you watch. I hope you know what you're doing, kid."

The boy nods at the girl, Azuki's words seemingly having no effect (he must have had his fair share dealing with threats before), and she runs to him eagerly, taking his hand and following Azuki, being sure to stay right on her heels. When they enter the ship at last, Radditz stares at their new cargo in curiosity, saying, "There's one more than you intended."

"Yeah, well, the fucker is in love and can't bear to leave his sweetheart behind. You know how I am with love stories."

Radditz laughs and Nappa shakes his head in annoyance. "And get this," Azuki continues, grabbing the boy's shoulder and twisting him around so that they can see his tail, "kid has some Saiyan in him."

"Who was your father, boy?" asks Nappa after his and Radditz's initial shock at having found another member of their race. The boy stays stubbornly silent, his eyes staring blankly at them all.

Azuki sighs, and in a quick motion picks up the girl and hangs her upside-down from her ankle. "Hey, lemme go!" The girl cries, speaking for the first time, and trying to take a swing at Azuki's middle. Azuki raises an eyebrow in amusement.

The boy tries to leap into action the second Azuki moves but Nappa senses it and grabs his tail, pulling him back from leaping on Azuki. "Alright, kid, you may want to answer now." Azuki says with a smile.

"My father's name was Goku." The kid grounds out, trying to struggle out of Nappa's grip. Azuki calmly sets the girl on the ground, and makes a show of brushing the girl's shoulders off. The boy senses the sarcasm and growls, his fangs showing.

"That's no Saiyan name." Nappa says, releasing the boy's tail.

"He's from Earth," Azuki says, casting a significant glance at Radditz, who stiffens.

"Kakarrot…?"

"He could've changed his name, for all we know." Azuki says, shrugging.

"How do you know Bulma?"

Azuki glances at the boy, who glares back stubbornly. She knows they'll get no answers from him concerning his father for now, so Azuki decides to drop it. Radditz will undoubtedly bring up the subject of his brother again later. He had always wished to travel to Earth to see if Kakarott still lived, but Vegeta had forbade it. It would be a waste of time, and a waste of a punishment when Frieza learned they had traveled off course. She gives the boy a once-over; the kid could be Radditz's nephew, for all they know. The thought slightly amuses her.

"She's our slave."

Seeing the hate in the boy's eyes makes Azuki know she needs to reevaluate her approach. If he wants to, he can lead them directly off course, wasting valuable time and it might be too late by the time they noticed. So she places both hands on her hips and sighs, ending the glaring war with the boy. "Listen, kid," she says, trying to sound amiable, "I'm not going to beat you." Azuki may be a lot of things, but she will never be like Frieza. "I'm not going to hurt you, or torture you, as long as you give me reason not to. We're Saiyans, you and I," his eyes flash, he doesn't believe her, "the last of our kind, and that doesn't go unacknowledged. Just do what I ask and you'll get three meals a day, and your girlfriend won't be touched, and you won't be hurt, and you can go take a shower, and when we're through I'll dump you back on this planet," (Vegeta will not want to play babysitter for a child, Saiyan or not) "and you can go back to what you were doing before."

She honestly doesn't want to hurt the kid, because there is something in his posture and eyes and the way he has been forced into slavery and morphed, something that reminds her of Vegeta (and maybe even herself?), and she wants to stop it this time, to stop fate (Frieza) from taking another innocent child.

He is still tense, regarding her with distrust. "What's a Saiyan?" He asks finally.

"It's a race. Other Earthlings didn't have tails, did they?" He shakes his head slowly. "And you just may be that guy's nephew." Azuki points at Radditz, snickering at the way he tenses under the child's curious gaze. "So what's your name?"

"Gohan," the little boy replies confidently, all hostility gone, replaced with childlike eagerness. He points at the girl, who crosses her arms over her chest and glares at Azuki. "And this is Videl."

* * *

"He's a Saiyan, he needs more food than that!" Bulma cries at the masked figure who slides the tray into their cell, complete with two pieces of bread and two cups of water. The man (or woman) ignores Bulma completely, exiting the room without even looking back. Bulma sighs, sinking to the floor and pushing the tray over to Vegeta, who has not moved from the floor where he had been dumped the night before. "You can have mine, I'm not hungry." Bulma says, watching Vegeta pick up the two pieces of bread and devour them in one second flat.

"You are a strange woman," he says as he drains one of the cups, leaving the other for her.

"How so?"

He rolls his eyes, lying his head back down on the floor. "You just are."

"Whatever," Bulma says, then lowers her voice. "Look, we need to get a plan to get out of here, once you're all better again."

"I will take care of it," Vegeta responds. "It will be easy to get past those fools, and they will regret ever crossing paths with me."

"You're so stubborn." Bulma leans forward and picks up her cup of water, sipping at it. "It'll take both of us to get out of this one."

"Hn, you act as though you could make a difference."

She glares at him, only to see the corner of his mouth slightly tilted up in a smirk. She smiles, too, finding his form of humor a nice change to his otherwise annoying personality. "Shouldn't you be asleep, or something? You know, being half-dead and all. You don't look so good." It is true; he is still shirtless, his former spandex top now in pieces on the floor, and his body is littered with bruises and scars (old and new), one eye is swollen shut, the other barely cracked open, and his lip is split.

"You don't look too good yourself."

"Oh, you're such a nice guy." She snaps sarcastically, smiling, and pops her knuckles. "But seriously, I'm fairly certain that _I _could escape without _your _help."

He laughs outright at her declaration. "You'd probably miraculously make it out of the cell and then, in your stupidity, ask someone for directions."

"Well at least you gave me credit for making it out of the cell, your holiness."

"Good to see you are finally learning to accept my godliness."

"Mhm," Bulma responds, crawling towards him with her cup of water in hand. Vegeta's expression immediately darkens, and Bulma snaps, "Oh, relax, I'm sick of looking at all that blood." She picks up one of the scraps of Vegeta's shirt and dips it into her cup of water, and then smoothes it over Vegeta's chest, scrubbing gently at the blood. He says nothing, watching her intently, and soon her water is red and the scrap of cloth is stained, so she must stop.

"Tell me about your planet." Bulma says, laying down on the floor and propping up an elbow so she can stare at him.

"Why?" He asks, immediately suspicious.

"Because I want to hear about it. Do you want to hear about Earth?"

"No."

"Then tell me about your planet, or I'll tell you about Earth."

Vegeta pauses, staring up at the ceiling. "It was red."

After a moment's silence, Bulma prompts, "And?"

"Hot."

"You are the _worst_ at making conversation."

"You want to hear my hobbies?"  
"Sure." She answers excitedly.

He grins wickedly at her. "Purging planets."

"Oh. Well, um, that's nice. Whatever makes you happy, I guess." Bulma flinches at her own words, appalled by how easily she can accept his murderous tendencies, but unable to make herself hate him. Instead, she hates someone else. "Why do you follow him?"

Vegeta's face darkens, and she knows that he knows exactly who she is talking of, but he asks anyway, "Who?"

"Frieza."

He turns his head towards her, an unspeakable hatred in his eyes that Bulma does not shy away from. "What choice do you think I have?"

"You could defect."

He turns away from her, returning his gaze to the ceiling. "You wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't understand?" Bulma repeats, anger boiling to the surface. "What wouldn't I understand? The concept of slavery? Being unable to escape something far more powerful than oneself? Feeling _weak_? You think I can't understand that?"

Vegeta forces himself into a sitting position, turning to look at her, his eyes guarded, his mouth in a thin line. Her eyes are flashing, she is livid, he is sure, and finally, _finally _there is someone who understands. "You are not my slave," he says, and her eyes soften, and he knows she takes it in the opposite way of what he means. He knows she thinks that he means he does not see her as a slave, but he does, he truly does. It is only the truth. She is not his slave. It is a confession, not words of kindness.

She scuffles forward, the enhanced gravity making her have trouble getting to his side, but she does it anyway. He is sitting up now, ignoring the strain it puts on his body, and meets her gaze the same amount of intensity that she stares at him with. When she places both hands on the side of his face, he tries to flinch away, but she does not let him, and he is too weak and tired to move away. "You aren't weak, Vegeta." She says, and he stops struggling, shocked. "You're stronger than Frieza."

"You have not met him." He says coldly, angrily.

"No, I haven't. But I believe that you are nothing like him."

But he _is, _he is exactly like Frieza. Frieza kills, Vegeta kills. Frieza tortures his own men, Vegeta has punished Nappa and Radditz and his own sister on countless occasions. Frieza does not care about anyone other than himself, and neither does Vegeta. "I am," he says hatefully, looking away from the woman who refuses to let go. "I am Frieza."

"No, you are not. And you never will be. Of that I'm sure." She is leaning forward, and he finds himself strangely enamored with the way she licks her lips in preparation to begin talking again. "And…there's something else that you and Frieza don't have in common."

"Oh?" he asks, not particularly paying attention anymore, because there is a new scent in the air, and it is making all rational thoughts in his head fly out the window.

"I could _never _like Frieza…and I actually…kind of…like you." She breaths, the ghost of a smile on her lips as she traces the lines on his collarbone. She meets his gaze and begins to lean forward, and he actually wants to do it, wants to get it over with so that he can get rid of this desire, _just this one time_.

Something shifts, there is a change in the universe, something is _different._

The door opens.

Krandal marches in, rips open the door to their cell, and grabs Bulma by her hair, pulling her away and out of the room in lightning speed. Vegeta, his injuries making it so that he can hardly move, roars in anger and tries to make a lunge at the man, but he is out of the cell and out of the room in no time at all.

Vegeta loses it – he goes berserk. All manner of sensible thought is gone, replaced by the animalistic side of him, as he roars in his own language, slamming on the bars of his cell despite his injuries, even trying to use his body as a battering ram to get out of his cell. But it is no use – Bulma is gone, and he can hear her screams even from his room.

* * *

**A/N: There's some major hinting and foreshadowing in a certain part this chapter that I hope most of you caught, but its no big deal if you don't :) Sorry the majority of it isn't Bulma/Vegeta, but I promise there will be more to come!**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: So, as I was answering all of your reviews today (sorry it took me so long to get around to that) I did not think I was going to finish this chapter. But I did! It's quite short; like half the size of the last chapter (I liked where it ended), but that just means I'll update the next one faster!  
**

**Oh, and we reached over 100 reviews! I'm a bit late, haha, but I hadn't been keeping track. Oh well! *throws confetti* Keep 'em comin'!  
**

Chapter 11

Azuki props her feet up on the table in the corner of the kitchen, cloaked in darkness in the dead of night. She has found it quite difficult to sleep with two new people in the ship, children or not, and although she has always been a light sleeper, she does not want to risk it. Her life lesson: consider everyone an enemy until they prove that they aren't.

The boy strolls into the kitchen, and Azuki grins, hoping to give him a scare. Gohan looks infinitely better, having taken a shower earlier and had Videl cut his hair. At first, Azuki had blanched at the idea of a Saiyan cutting his hair, but remembered that Striekna had said that his hair grows.

They had only had a razor because Azuki had bought it and shaved Nappa's hair off as he was sleeping when he made her angry a few years back. He was sure not to make fun of how she goes practically insane when angry again.

Azuki watches Gohan walk straight to the fridge and attempt to pull it open, but the fridge asks for a code, and he stares at it, dumbfounded. The code to the fridge had not been set until just yesterday afternoon, when Azuki had programmed it in. Gohan prepares to yank the door of its hinges and tugs, hard, but it does not budge. Azuki grins.

"What'cha doin', kid?" Azuki speaks, hoping to get the boy to jump.

Gohan isn't even fazed and glances at her calmly, answering, "I'm hungry."

Damn, thinks Azuki, she had forgotten that he could sense people. Trying not to show her disappointment she stands, strolling over to the fridge and typing in the code with her back to him, so he cannot see the numbers she types in. "This is a give-and-take relationship, Gohan. I provide you food, you take me to Vegeta."

"To Bulma."

"Right, to Vegeta _and _Bulma."

She stands on her tiptoes to reach the red meat in the top back section of the fridge and hefts it out, tossing it in the kid's expectant arms, and pulls out a few pizzas that Bulma had bought, assuming he'll know how to make them.

"How'd you get those scars?"

It is an innocent question, Azuki tells herself, and closes her eyes for a brief second as to make sure not to snap at Gohan, who is staring at the scars on her back. "Because I'm like you, kid."

"A Saiyan?" Gohan asks, repeating the term that Azuki has drilled into his head, and Azuki grins.

"No, Gohan. A slave."

Normally she hates, _absofuckinglutely hates_, admitting the fact that she is, in the wide scheme of things, Frieza's slave. Her pride and vanity make it hard to admit it, but she knows how valuable Gohan's trust is right now. He is the person they are relying on to deliver them to Vegeta, and one mishap could make the boy lead them directly off course, and could result in them not getting to Vegeta in time. So, she must make him believe that they are one and the same; equals. Azuki, unlike Vegeta, understands the power of words (however Vegeta, unlike Azuki, understands the power of silence).

"Whose?" He asks, and Azuki turns so that she can see there is only innocent curiosity in his face, and nothing sinister.

"Frieza's."

Gohan's face falls; he knows the name. She can see it in his eyes, in his face, in his posture; she can see Vegeta.

Gohan sets out preparing his pizza and meat, and while they cook, he sits at the table. Azuki sits down in the chair opposite him and for a moment, he simply watches her, and she him.

"Do you hurt Bulma?" He finally whispers quietly, but Azuki is no fool, and she can hear the deadliness in his tone.

"No." She answers. "Bulma has not been touched or hurt." Not entirely true, thinks Azuki, remembering when the slave had made an escape attempt and Vegeta had repaid her by repeatedly slamming her into the wall. But that was Bulma's own fault.

Gohan breaks the staring contest, looking down at his hands. "Please don't hurt her. Please don't hurt Videl."

"Nothing will happen to Videl unless you prompt me into doing something to Videl."

He stiffens, back straight in his chair, and picks at the skin on his thumb. "Like, if I speak out?" He asks softly, obviously remembering his time in the slave factory, and Azuki laughs outright.

"No, Gohan. You can speak out all you damn well please, and so can Videl, as long as it isn't insulting." He looks up at her in surprise. She grins. "I don't like to be insulted. Anyways, do something that will get me to Vegeta in more time than necessary; that's what will merit a punishment."

"I won't," says the boy. "I want to see Bulma."

For a fleeting moment, Azuki thinks of the complications that having a boy close to Bulma will make, but she dismisses it easily. It's not like Bulma has any say in anything, and she knows that she can beat the boy into the ground if he disagrees with her, as well.

"Will you take me back to the slave factory when we find her?"

Azuki props her feet up on the table again and regards the boy with slight interest. "Yes."

"I don't want to go back." Gohan says, his tone still soft and that of a child's, still not looking into her eyes. "I want to help you fight Frieza."

Azuki stiffens immediately, the small smile on her lips slipping off and her hands clench into fists. "What did you say?" She asks slowly, dangerously. Gohan does not miss the change in tone, but does not react.

"I'm a slave. I know…what it's like. I'm a slave."

"We won't be fighting Frieza…anytime soon."

They are too alike; too similar for both of their sakes. Gohan is quiet and reserved but aggressive when he needs to be; Azuki is loud and outspoken but passive when it is required of her. They are complete opposites, but they are too similar and Azuki does not like it.

"Get some rest after you eat, Gohan. Tomorrow, we'll test your strength." She stands, eager to escape the calm, sure look on his face.

"'Zuki?"

She stops, her back to him. "_A_zuki, Gohan. _A_zuki."

"Thank you."

And she leaves, regretting the day that she pointed out Bulma to Vegeta on the slave planet because, somehow, it has changed everything.

* * *

Bulma's head breaks free of the water and she gasps desperately for breath, her fingers frantically trying to grasp onto anything they can hold, anything solid, anything _real. _"Where are they?" Krandal demands, one hand gripping the back of her neck in a forceful grip, the other in her hair, his breath in her ear. And she actually _enjoys_ it, actually takes pleasure in the heat from his breath and even leans in, wanting more, because she's so damn _cold_. "WHERE?" Krandal screams, angry at her lack of response. "Where are the girl and the two men?"

"I don't know!" Bulma screams, a pleading in her voice that she is ashamed of, her voice cracking in a way that she wishes it wouldn't, but she doesn't want to go back in the water, _please _–

The hands on her neck and in her hair push down and Bulma tries to struggle, but in the end the force wins out and her head plunges into the ice-cold water again and it feels as if millions of needles are forcibly penetrating her skin. When she can't hold her breath any longer and desperation sets in, her mouth opens automatically and she tries to breathe but instead the water fills her lungs and she's going to die she'll die _breathe – _

Her head breaks the surface again and Bulma attempts to hack out the water painfully, every part of her body on fire and yet she is _so cold._

Krandal twists her arm behind her painfully and she cries out, feeling the bone bending, so close to breaking but not quite, and Krandal makes it so that she must face him and look into his dark eyes. "I want to know where they are, and I won't stop until you tell me. I _know _you know."

Bulma shakes her head, tears filling her eyes, and she isn't even angry she just wants to either die or be let go.

She wants Yamcha. She wants Yamcha to hold her warmly and she wants Goku to be there and save her, and hell, she wants Roshi nearby trying to get a view of her breasts and she wants her _mom _to make her hot cocoa and she wants her _dad_ to gently remind her that she can't stay up all night constructing things and oh Kami she just wants to _wake up – _

She wants Vegeta's cold and yet comforting presence to remind her that she's safe, she wants Radditz and Nappa to crack a sexual joke, she wants Azuki to sarcastically tell her that she needs to grow a brain, she wants to go _home._

"I'll tattoo you, I swear to God I'll carve a fucking _picture_ into you right now."

Krandal holds a knife, yellow and scorching, the edges orange, with a deranged look in his eye and a promise in his hand.

"No, please – " Bulma begs, _please don't do this to me_.

"Tell me."

"I swear I don't know, I'm their slave, I don't know – "

And he touches the knife to the skin on her right hip, a horrible polar opposite to the freezing cold she feels, and Bulma screams, a terrible, inhuman high-pitched wail that has never once come from her mouth.

Farther down the hall Vegeta hears her scream and, blood pounding in his ears, he roars so loudly it is reminiscent of the Oozaru, some kind of sixth sense telling him that he _must_ get to her, he must get to her _now_. A masked figure enters the room, rod flowing with electricity in hand, and whacks it against Vegeta's bars. "Shut up!"

Bad mistake.

Vegeta grabs the rod, ignoring the immediate pain he feels as the electricity pours into him and his instinct that commands him to let go, and pulls as hard as he can without the power of ki. The man slaps into the bars, still holding onto the rod, and Vegeta reaches out and breaks the man's neck in an Azuki-like move that his sister enjoys because it is a 'clean, easy kill' but a move he had once sworn he would never do (breaking the neck is dishonorable; an unfair way to win a fight).

But they have taken away his ki and beat him in a weakened state and there is no more playing fair.

He pulls the man closer to the bars and inspects his clothes, finding a card in one of the many pockets and flashes it in front of his door, and it immediately clicks open. Vegeta bursts forth, _free_, and he slams down the door to the room, his power greater than the door can handle even without his ki.

Bulma's screams go up an octave as the white-hot metal is not pulled away from her skin, and the mixed sensation of Krandal cutting into her body and the feeling of acid peeling away her skin from the heat makes her want to die. He is carving something, somewhere inside she knows that he is moving the knife in a pattern but it doesn't matter because she has never felt so much pain in her entire life, nothing can compare to this –

Something changes, the heat, has it stopped? Is it over? Somewhere far away she can hear shouts, somewhere very far away, and she opens her eyes through her tears and sees a man with flame-like hair twisting Krandal's arm and grabbing the knife and slamming it down into his neck.

There is blood, there is blood everywhere and Bulma closes her eyes and screams again, because the pain won't fucking go away –

Vegeta picks her up and carries her and Bulma wraps her arms around his neck, crying hot tears and everything is so damned hot like the flesh on her hip but also cold, cold like her still-wet hair.

After the flash and whirlwind of silver halls and screaming people and cold fire, Vegeta sets her down on her feet and forces a mask onto her face. Her vision comes into focus and they are in a tiny room with several masks hanging from the walls and straps and roping hanging loosely everywhere. Vegeta pulls a mask on himself and slams his fist down onto a button, and a door slides open, and bright light assaults Bulma's vision so that she must squint to make out the surroundings. Vegeta forces her through the opening and into the freedom and she breathes in the air and tries to block out the pain –

There is nothing ahead of them but a sheer drop off into seemingly nothing.

The sky is dark, and the little ground they stand on is gray dust, like Earth's moon. There is no forward, or right, or left; nothing but backwards and into the horror that they had just escaped.

"No," Bulma whispers, and Vegeta seems just as shocked, staring into the dark emptiness and reminding himself that he can't fly without ki.

The door behind them opens, someone fires a laser at them, Bulma slips, falling backwards and towards the cliff, and Vegeta grabs her arm and slams her back into the dust before she can plummet into the nothingness.

There is no way out. No way out of this hell.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Gohan is woken by his blanket being ripped off of the bed and a shout of "Get up!" Normally he is able to wake the moment the sunshine streams through the windows in the factory, but here there are no windows and the bed is the most comfortable thing he has slept on since Earth. He moans and pulls his pillow over his head, more tired than he has been in a while, and is rewarded by someone grabbing his foot and hauling him off the bed and tossing him roughly onto the floor. Gohan, now fully awake, sits up and glares at Azuki, who just grins down at him. "When I say get up, you get up." She says. "Now come on, breakfast is ready."

He glances over at the bed to see that Videl, who had been there when he crawled in after his midnight snack, is gone. A moment's panic seizes him and he practically tears through the door after Azuki and into the kitchen, only to find Videl flipping pancakes with a smile on her face as she watches him come in. "I made pancakes, Gohan!" She says excitedly, pointing out the obvious, and Gohan nods dumbly.

"Yeah, Twinkle made pancakes." Azuki mocks, already seated at the table next to Radditz and Nappa, all ready for their fill.

Videl scowls at her and says firmly, "My name is _not _Twinkle."

"Yeah yeah, just hurry up with the food." Growls Nappa, lifting his nose in the air and taking a gigantic whiff, his eyes practically watering at the smell.

Videl humphs, going back to flipping the pancakes, and Gohan rubs his eyes tiredly, wondering if he's dreaming. Shrugging one shoulder halfheartedly, he trudges to the table and takes a seat, and digs in when Videl places a plate stacked high with ten pancakes and smothered in syrup in front of him. He has never had anything so delicious.

The way the other Saiyans eat reminds Gohan of his dad, and he bites in calmly, trying to retain his dignity and manners as specks of food fly from Radditz's mouth and Azuki waves her fork around dangerously as she speaks and Nappa practically buries his head into his plate. He and Videl share a disgusted glance and calmly bite into their meal.

It beats the tiny portions of gruel that they had had in the factory, though.

When they've all finished the three Saiyans lead them down into a white, empty chamber underneath the main floor and Azuki faces Gohan, cracks her neck, and says, "Only rules: no ki blasts, as we don't want a hole in the wall that will suck us out into space, and basically nothing too forceful that will cause that predicament. First one to knock the other to the floor wins. Alright, hit me with what you've got."

Gohan hesitates, unsure of what she means, so Azuki shrugs and attacks first, barraging him with flying fists and into the air, Gohan not even able to get a punch in with all of his time dedicated to kicks that Gohan barely has time to dodge, trying to slam him into the ground. They lift higher into the air, Gohan grunting with exertion. Azuki finally stops her assault, floating a bit away from him and crossing her arms over her chest, smirk in place. "Alright, Gohan, since you've established that you're good at _dodging_, why don't you throw a punch or two?"

Growling, Gohan flies forward, attempting to wipe that damned smirk off of her face, but she dodges in much the same way he had before, twisting her body at impossible angles to avoid his fists. At one point he finds his body too close and she slams her knee up into his stomach. He does not hesitate and grabs it, twisting it so that she is suspended on her side, and slams his fist down into her hip, sending her flying downwards. She rights herself immediately and phases behind him, and Gohan quickly phases out of the way. They engage in a sort of dance of seeing who can phase behind the other and get a hit in, constantly moving around the room. Eventually Gohan breaks the cycle and phases to the other side of the room instead of behind Azuki and when Azuki grins and appears in front of him a moment later, Gohan catches her fist instead of dodging, and tries to punch her himself. She mimics him, catching his fist as well, and they stay that way for a moment, each trying to gain the upper ground on the other.

"C'mon, kid, I thought you said your dad was strong? Seems like he raised quite the weak half-breed, to me."

With a determined yell of anger Gohan throws Azuki across the room. She rights herself but only has half a second to open her mouth to make another comment before Gohan is on her, fists beating every square inch of her he can reach. Annoyed, Azuki flies behind him and slams both fists into his back, then phases in front of him and sends him flying back towards the ceiling. She hovers beneath him, he above, realizing that his father is a soft spot for him and gets him to fight harder. So, without much thought, Azuki calls out, "Good thing your dad is dead so he doesn't have to see how shamefully weak you are!"

She realizes a bit too late that that probably wasn't the best of ideas.

Gohan, rage in his eyes, brings both hands over his head and sends an energy blast right at her.

Azuki's initial instinct is to phase out of the way but she ignores it, staying in the path of the blast and letting it slam into her chest, knocking the breath out of her, and sending her crashing into the floor. She glares up at Gohan who is staring down at her in horror.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to – I – I got carried away - "

Making a mental note not to taunt Gohan about his dad in times of stress, Azuki gets to her feet and winces, her chest aching. She waves off Nappa and Radditz and looks back up at Gohan. "I _will_ repay you for this."

"My turn?"

Azuki turns her attention to Videl in shock, who is looking up at Radditz in expectation, hands on hips, the giant Saiyan at least three times her size. "Er, what?" Radditz asks, covertly pushing her a few inches away from him, his entire hand covering her face.

"I want to fight."

"You're a bit…small."

"Yeah," guffaws Nappa, "he might snap you in half, Twinkle."

Videl crosses her arms over her chest and glares up at Radditz, having to tilt her head back so far that she will surely have a crick in her neck if she does not stop. Radditz looks at Azuki for help, obviously out of his comfort zone, who simply shrugs, not entirely in the helpful mood. "I'm barely shorter than Gohan."

"Then fight Gohan."

"I've already fought Gohan before. It's good to fight new people to broaden your skills and so that you are always on your toes." She says, as if quoting from a textbook. Azuki rolls her eyes, sitting down and watching the display before she explodes and decides to attempt murder on Gohan.

"I'd rather not…break you."

"You won't."

Gohan has floated back to the ground and wisely decided to stay away from Azuki, and says to Videl, "C'mon Videl, I'll spar with you later."

"Hmph. Fine."

The two leave the room, leaving Azuki, Nappa, and Radditz alone.

"Kid's strong." Nappa remarks, watching where the boy had disappeared up the steps.

"I know," Azuki replies, then grins at her two comrades. "C'mon, I need to blow off some steam before we get there, and kicking your two's asses will certainly help."

* * *

Bulma chews on her lower lip as she carefully peels back the hem of her shirt, finally able to force herself to look and see what Krandal had tattooed into her skin. It is an anchor-like design that looks familiar to Bulma; and then she remembers. Azuki has the same tattoo on her lower back.

"It is the Saiyan insignia," says Vegeta, watching her from the corner of their cell. "By branding you with another race's symbol, he has branded you as a traitor to your people."

"Oh." Bulma pulls her shirt down to hide the brand, suddenly nauseated. "It doesn't matter anyway, does it?" Vegeta cocks an eyebrow. "We're going to die, aren't we?"

Arms crossed, legs folded Indian-style, Vegeta gazes out the bars to their cell that they had been thrown in after being caught at the escape attempt. He seems rather calm, Bulma thinks, for them being about to die and all. "Yes," he says, voice flat. "They will kill us now."

Bulma runs her fingers through her blue hair, wanting some sort of comfort. "They wanted to know where Azuki, Radditz, and Nappa are. They don't have them."

"If you're implying that they are going to save us, you're being foolish. We're on a random moon obviously nowhere near Shrina planet in the middle of the Universe. How do you expect them to find us?"

Bulma falls silent, picking at her torn shirt. "Thank you." He regards her coldly. "You know, for…for killing him."

She _wants _to say thank you for coming for her, thank you for ending the torture session, but she cannot deny that the fact that Krandal is dead, knife in neck, is immensely comforting. She can't stop seeing the demented look in his eye as he tortures her; the way he almost seemed to enjoy it. Bulma wraps her arms around herself, slowly rocking back and forth, trying not to think of their impending doom.

"My pleasure."

She smiles slightly and does not doubt that Vegeta took great pleasure in ending Krandal's life; he had tortured him, too, after all. She glances over at him and is not surprised to find his dark gaze watching her, but _is _surprised to see the intensity there. She has not forgotten what they had been doing when Krandal had interrupted.

Bulma crawls towards him, unsure that she had even started moving until she is halfway to him. He simply watches, expression guarded, as she stops right in front of him. "I don't want to die," Bulma whispers. Vegeta does not respond, but does not look away from her. "Not without – "

He kisses her.

Not a light, simple peck on the lips either, a rather forceful, passionate assault on her mouth that has her seeing stars. She does not hesitate in responding, however, burying her hand in his thick hair and responding with the same desperate need that he displays.

"Time to shut up now," he growls into her ear, nipping at her lobe, and traces his lips down her neck, making Bulma moan in excitement and causing her grip in his hair to tighten. Her hand slips to his waistline, massaging the tender skin just below the hemline of his spandex pants, and Vegeta growls in pleasure, making Bulma smirk in triumph. He hefts her up, one hand below her thigh and the other under her butt, and pushes her against the wall. Bulma's legs instinctively wrap around his waist and she runs her hands through his impossibly thick hair as he forces his tongue into her mouth.

"Vegeta," she moans, "make love to me."

She's about to die and she hasn't had sex in over a year and it feels so impossibly right that she cannot – must not - miss this opportunity.

"I don't make love," Vegeta responds as his tongue traces her collarbone.

"Then fuck me."

She can feel him smirk against her skin. "Gladly."

* * *

"Azuki?"

Azuki glances up from pulling on her gloves to see Gohan standing nervously in the doorway to her room, shifting weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah, Gohan?" She asks tiredly, still a bit miffed about the slight soreness in her chest from where she had taken the energy blast.

"I, uh, just wanted to say I'm sorry. About…you know."

Azuki sighs, pulling on a boot. "That it?"

"It's just…I miss my dad."

Azuki rubs at her eyes tiredly, hoping that he does not expect her to launch into some sort of speech that will comfort him. "Sometimes life isn't perfect," she responds coldly; after all, her chest still hurts.

"I know that, it's just…I'm…I'm just a kid."

She pinches the bridge of her nose and says, "You're one strong kid, Gohan."

His eyes brighten considerably and he regards her with an awing look, and Azuki moans. "So I can come down with you?"

Azuki cuffs him on the side of the head, grinning despite herself. He had her conniving ways, that was for sure. "You're smart, kid. I guess I walked right into that one; put on some armor, then."

* * *

Bulma wakes when the mass underneath her moves, slipping away and Bulma moans in protest, trying to grab him and hold on. When she opens her eyes he has already pulled his pants back on and she pouts, and asks, "That bad?" even though she knows he enjoyed every moment.

"Hn."

Bulma follows suit, pulling on her shirt and shorts that had been discarded hastily the night before, deciding that she'd rather die with her clothes on.

Her pre-death sex could not have been any better. She has never experienced something so perfect and her only regret is that there is the possibility that it could never happen again, and the thought truly depresses her. She watches Vegeta, wondering how things turned out this way, and, surprisingly, not really regretting it. After all, something about it – something had felt so perfect; it was like everything had fit into place and the Universe was the way it was supposed to be. She had _never_ felt that way with Yamcha.

"Vegeta, I'm glad you picked me on Uni."

He watches her and she watches him, and there is something in his eyes (is that guilt?), and he opens his mouth to say something.

Bulma has associated the door opening with terrible things to come, so it is entirely understandable when she flinches terribly at the sound and Vegeta's mouth promptly shuts. When she looks up and sees the face of Krandal, she wants to scream, cry, and kill something all at the same time. He must notice the surprise in his expression and spreads out his arms, asking, "Surprised to see me?"

"You're a Prenksa," Vegeta growls, everything about him suddenly stiff and dangerous, his fists clenched tightly, knuckles white.

"A what?" Bulma nearly screams, shrinking to the back of the cell as the tattoo on her skin burns.

"My skin is tougher than most races, therefore I was able to survive long enough for my men to get me to a rejuvenation tank. Good thing, too, because I would _so _hate to miss you two's execution."

Bulma's blood has run cold; hope gone and the sort of calm acceptance of her death vanished with it at the sight of her most hated man in the Universe. She cringes as he moves towards the cell and Vegeta growls warningly, but he only laughs and opens the door. One of the men that had accompanied Krandal presses the all-too-familiar button and Vegeta goes down, and Krandal drags him out of the cell, limbs flying. Bulma screams and tries to lunge at him but another man steps into the cell and pulls her own arms in front of her with relative ease and chains them together.

When she looks up Vegeta is no longer in the room, but Krandal still is.

"As much as I'd love to kill you right now, I'd rather kill your dear Prince first, so you will have to wait." Krandal flashes a smile and leaves her, but not before saying to the one attendant, "Kill her if she gives you trouble."

"No!" Bulma screams, struggling against her restraints, flailing her arms and legs with a never-ending scream tearing from her lips.

"Shut up!" commands the man with the task of watching her, and Bulma falls silent, only because she knows screaming will get her nowhere.

Think, Bulma, _think – _you're a genius, you can get out of this, just _think. They left the door open._

Bulma looks down at her chains, then up at the man. _Think_. Use the gravity.

Bulma kicks the man's ankle nearest to her as hard as she can, and, though normally he would've been able to regain his balance, the gravity pulls at his flailing limbs and brings him down. She scrambles towards the open door to her cell but a hand wraps around her ankle and pulls her, hard, to the ground, just as she escapes the confining weight of the gravity. She screams as he wrestles to get on top of her and knees him in the crotch, giving her another moment to make a desperate leap for the door, but there is no escaping her watcher, who simply pulls her underneath him and sits on her, his hands going straight for her neck.

She can't breathe, just like in the water, and her limbs flail helplessly as his grip tightens on her neck and she needs air she needs to breathe I need to breathe – Bulma's limbs begin to go limp, her vision darkening, he's going to kill her – the man pulls out a knife, oh fuck, isn't choking me enough?

She's going to die –

The man slumps, going completely limp and slack on top of her. Gasping desperately for breath, Bulma pushes his dead body off of her and sucks in air for the hundredth time in the last two days, glancing up at her smirking savior.

"Oops," says Azuki.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! I'm not very good at writing kissing scenes, so I hope it was alright. Review!**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: This chapter is basically filler in preparation for the next chapter. I'm really sorry about that, guys, but I promise it'll make me get the next chapter up even sooner!**

Chapter 13

"Someone order a jailbreak?" Azuki asks cockily, surveying the room for anyone else she needed to dispose of.

"Azuki! Azuki, they have him – they're going to kill Vegeta, hurry!" Bulma gasps out, desperation in her voice, as she lunges towards Azuki, hands scraping at her boots.

Azuki's calm demeanor and smirk doesn't change, but she looks over her shoulder, says, "Gohan, stay here," and dashes down the hall. Bulma blinks in confusion at the familiar name, and then the boy himself walks into the room sheepishly, and Bulma nearly sobs.

"Gohan!" She shouts in happiness, grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him forward into a bone-crushing hug. "Gohan, oh my Kami, you're alive!" She holds him at arm length, her hands automatically smoothing back his hair so she can get a better look at his features. He looked so much like his father – "Gohan, is your dad here? Is Goku here?" With the young boy here (though so old, much older than she remembered) anything seemed possible. But Gohan shakes his head sadly, and Bulma's heart drops a bit, but does not stop her infinitely better mood. What with Azuki here, and Gohan, could anything go wrong?

Things were going to get better. They could only get better.

She had an infinite number of questions to ask Gohan – how had he gotten here, how had Azuki found him? – but now was definitely not the time, so, instead, Bulma pushes herself to her feet and grabs Gohan's hand, pulling him in the direction that Azuki had taken off to. "Here, this way." Gohan says, speaking for the first time, and takes the lead.

"Azuki's coming," Gohan says, stopping them, and, true to his word, Vegeta and Azuki come barreling down the hallway, a bit of blood splattered on them, but looking relatively unharmed.

"Vegeta!" Bulma shouts in relief, wanting nothing more than to fling herself into the Saiyan's arms, but knowing he would not appreciate it. Azuki raises an eyebrow and regards them curiously, but Vegeta gives her no time to say something snarky, shoving past Gohan and announcing, "I must find Krandal."

Bulma's blood runs cold. He had gotten away? "B-But I thought he was with you."

"The coward ran when Azuki showed up." Vegeta snarls, and Azuki's eyes narrow in confusion, annoyed at being in the dark.

"No, Vegeta," she says in more of a commanding tone than Vegeta would have liked. She had been getting much too used to his absence and being in charge. "We have no idea what technology they have, and what it can do. It'll be for the best to just get the hell out of here."

Although he wants to argue and _hates _taking orders from her, he must begrudgingly admit that there is logic in her words. It was these people's advanced technology that landed them here in the first place. Only then does his eyes finally settle on Gohan. "Who's the runt?"

"Um, I'll explain that later," Azuki says hastily, moving past Gohan and taking the lead. "Let's get out of here."

But before they can take off down the hall, Gohan gives a startled warning to drop and everyone obeys without question. Something flies over them and Vegeta is the first to his feet, looking behind them at Krandal, whose eyes are wild.

Vegeta charges him.

"Vegeta, no!" Azuki screams, and Bulma sees Krandal holding some sort of shuriken-looking object, and she shouts a warning. He throws it directly at Vegeta's chest, who steps out of the way. Azuki forcefully tugs Bulma down and they hit the floor again, the shuriken hitting the wall behind them and exploding violently. Bulma screams as the debris hits them, and Azuki is on her feet a moment later. Bulma looks up through the smoke and debris and sees that Krandal is gone and Vegeta is frantically looking around for him.

"Watch out!" Gohan screams.

Something seemingly appears out of nowhere and rams into Vegeta, and a second later a similar wolf-like beast crashes into Azuki, disappearing completely the moment it hits the ground again. It appears a second later about to latch its jaws into Azuki, but Gohan slams it into the ground, holding it still. Azuki gets to her feet and dispatches it with a ki blast.

The wall behind them that had exploded leads to another room and Gohan begins to climb over the destroyed wall. Azuki picks Bulma up and tosses her over the wall, and hops over, Vegeta right behind.

The little resistance that they meet in the room is easily dispatched by a ki blast from Azuki and Gohan leads them to the room with the ropes and masks. Each of them secures a mask on, the atmosphere not breathable, and step out in front of the cliff. Azuki gets so close to the edge that her toes hang off and fires a ki blast into the abyss. Almost a second later the ship – _their_ ship, Bulma thinks in relief – appears, the entrance to the hangar opening.

The door behind them opens, and some of the Resistance tries to stop them, but Nappa shoots them with his energy from the hangar of the ship, and Azuki lifts up Vegeta and Gohan grabs Bulma and flies them over to the entrance. Gohan throws Bulma down in his haste, as laser blasts are barely dodging their heads, and Vegeta lands neatly on his feet. Azuki turns and fires a gigantic ki blast, the largest Bulma had ever seen, at the facility that Bulma _feels_ the heat from, leaving a smoking hole in the building that takes the attention of their followers. The hangar door closes and their ship moves away; away from the hell that had holed in Vegeta and Bulma for the last few days.

But Krandal is still alive, and Bulma has no doubt that he will hunt them down.

* * *

After some introductions (Videl) and explanations (Gohan), things quiet down. Vegeta is surprised to find that there is another Saiyan, and even more surprised that Bulma had known him and not said anything of it to him.

"You should have told me," he says softly, a bit of anger in his tone, as Bulma pries at the cuffs on his wrists (they would _not _come off) with a screwdriver-like tool, and Bulma meets his eyes.

"I didn't know he was a Saiyan," she lies easily, watching the lights on the cuffs blink in an annoying pattern, as if mocking her. She huffs slightly in irritation and her bangs puff up from the breath. "Ah, yes!" She crows in triumph as the screwdriver sets in place, and with a final _click_, the restraint falls away. She immediately begins to work on the other two.

"Could you have not done that sooner?" Vegeta sneers, as it had taken Bulma at least twenty minutes to figure out how to pry the ki restraints off. Bulma sticks out her tongue at him and moves to the one on his neck. Vegeta scowls, showing his discomfort, but not voicing it. Some more wiggling of the screwdriver and Vegeta is free. He flexes his fingers and smirks.

Vegeta leers at her in way reminiscent of a predator stalking its prey, making Bulma grin. He seems to be in a much better mood with the return of his ki, much to her happiness.

His lips crash into her's and its like they never stopped. Bulma is ecstatic that he is as eager for more as she is, for she had thought that it had been a spur of the moment, what-the-hell-I'm-about-to-die-anyway thing. But something had happened, something that couldn't be reversed, and she was glad that Vegeta did not intend to.

There is a loud bang from below and Vegeta pulls back with a scowl. Azuki, Radditz, and Nappa had been experimenting with Gohan and Videl's abilities in the chamber below, and Bulma can see that it is killing Vegeta to not be in the fray. "Let's go down, I want to look at something, anyway." She says, excited to announce her surprise to him.

"You're not being helpful!" Videl is screeching as they descend the steps, and Bulma sees Vegeta wince, his sensitive hearing not taking too kindly to her high-pitched scream.

"We're _trying _to teach you how to fucking fly, and if you'd just _shut up! _and listen, maybe you'd learn!" Radditz snarls right back, leaning down so that his face is right in Videl's, but the little girl doesn't back down, only staring at him with equal amounts of venom and both hands on her hips. Gohan and Azuki are leaning against the far wall, seemingly amused at the show, drenched in sweat from their workout.

Nappa hunkers down to her level, snarling so that his sharp canines show. "_You're _not exactly putting in the effort that we are asking of you, Twinkle." The name that the Saiyans have been calling her is more condescending than a term of endearment, and Videl knows that.

"_STOP CALLING ME THAT_!"

All five Saiyans collectively wince at the shrill pitch that Videl's voice has taken in her frustration. Vegeta's presence is noticed and Radditz and Nappa immediately drop their frustrated expressions, leaning against the back wall casually as if they could care less about the little girl glaring daggers at them.

Videl notices the change in their demeanor and glances around for the source, her eyes falling on Vegeta. She looks down instantly; she is a smart girl, and even though she has not been around Vegeta long, she knows that he will not tolerate the way she treats Radditz and Nappa. Azuki straightens from the wall and grins, saying, "Finally. I need some real sparring practice. What's the slave doing down here?"

"Actually, I wanted to throw an idea at you guys." Bulma clasps her hands together, excitement growing. "The cell we were in had enhanced gravity, and it got me thinking. If one were to _train _in higher gravity…" She drops off, expecting the other Saiyans to connect the dots. Vegeta's eyes grow wide as he realizes her implications.

"You can build one? A gravity chamber?" Azuki asks, voicing everyone's question. All eyes are on her now, and she grins.

"Of course. I _was_ the richest and most brilliant woman on Earth."

All of the Saiyans blink at her in surprise, this tidbit of information new to them. But what with her newfound whatever it was with Vegeta, she has started to feel a lot more at ease and trusting of them. "I'll need lots of tools and lots of help from you strong men – and girl," she adds hastily at the glare she receives from Videl for being left out, "but I think I can get this done relatively easily. I'll start drawing the plans out, and make a list of what I need. We can set it up in the corner of this room; it's certainly large enough."

Vegeta grins, looking positively evil, and Bulma hopes that he knows what this is for. To take down Frieza. To defeat him. Videl glares out of the corner of her eye at her two overly large new trainers, and huffs, "I still want to learn how to fly."

Bulma hastily leaves the training chamber when Videl shakily takes to the air, Nappa and Radditz dive-bombing her to try and force her to learn in some kind of insane training method (and then they bump into each other accidentally and start thrashing each other, ignoring the screams of the little girl who had, much to her chagrin, landed back on the ground), and Gohan, Azuki, and Vegeta all take to the air in some kind of insane all for nothing three-on-three brawl, taunts flying in all directions (Azuki giving out a hasty reminder not to use ki blasts to Gohan, which Bulma will have to ask about later, sure that a story is there).

It takes two weeks for her to draw out the plans and for Nappa and Radditz to make enough side-trips to planets to gather all of the materials she needs. It takes another three weeks to build the monstrosity, even with the help of four Saiyans, one half-Saiyan, and one very stubborn Earth girl.

Shamefully but not unfortunately, there is a lot of sex involved. Vegeta gets straight to it practically every night and isn't exactly one for cuddling afterwards, but its no more than Bulma could have asked for, nonetheless. Vegeta tells her that the walls are soundproof, too, which satisfies her fear that Gohan and Videl (who took the room right next to her's, which was where they usually met up for sex) would find out of their nightly exploits. No one seems to notice the change, however, she does see Azuki take a sniff of Vegeta as he passes by once and give Bulma a rather peculiar look followed by a tiny narrowing of her eyes. She's not sure if this is good or bad, so doesn't bring it up.

When the Gravity Room is done, Bulma finds herself alone more often. Videl isn't in the GR quite as much as those with Saiyan blood ("they turn it up so high that I can't even stand") but still, Videl tries to keep up with them and doesn't like to be left out, leaving Bulma to grow creative making dinners and basically memorizing every channel on their monitor.

"Vegeta?" Bulma asks one night after their sex, and right before Vegeta is getting up to leave. "When will we reaching Frieza?"

Vegeta freezes, tension in every fiber of his body, and Bulma sits up, massaging his back in an effort to loosen his now strained muscles. He relaxes under her persistent rubbing, and finally answers, "A few weeks."

"You won't be strong enough by then." It isn't a question. If he was, he would have told her.

"No."

The weeks pass in a whirlwind, much too quickly for anyone on board the ship's liking. One day, Vegeta is in the Gravity Room, Nappa is training downstairs with Videl (who now constantly pesters either Nappa or Radditz to spar with her every other hour, now that they've taught her how to fly) and Azuki is _attempting_ to teach Gohan a rather serious expression in the Saiyan language. She and Radditz had been teaching him the Saiyan language for the past two weeks, and the young boy has grown quite fond of both Azuki and his possible uncle. The two of them had been most active in sparring with him, too, gauging his possible power. Bulma had even seen Radditz ruffling Gohan's hair, once (before the older Saiyan hastily pushed him down when he saw that Bulma had noticed). "No, Gohan, the word is _bushna."_

"And it kind of means I love you, right?"

"No!" Radditz balks.

"It's like…it's like voicing your utmost devotion to someone. If I were to say _bushna_ to Vegeta, it would basically mean that I would do anything for him. I would die for him. He is my Prince. It's not a word to be used lightly, either. Don't ever say it unless you mean it."

Gohan nods seriously, and Bulma shrugs, saying, "It sure sounds a lot like I love you to me."

"But it is so much more complex," Azuki says, grinning.

Vegeta appears from the downstairs chambers, Nappa and Videl right behind. "We're here." He says, effectively confusing most present. Bulma feels a stab of fear, thinking they had arrived at Frieza's ship.

"Where?" Videl asks.

Azuki stands, gesturing to Videl and Gohan. "At the planet we're dropping you two off at."

Bulma flinches at Gohan's betrayed look, but she isn't altogether too surprised. Vegeta had told her that Gohan would not be accompanying them to Frieza's ship, and Bulma was happy he wasn't. Although she is sad to him go, as he reminds her of Goku, but she doesn't want to see him hurt.

A deathly silence has fallen in the room. Videl's blue eyes stare at Azuki as if she'd grown another head, and Gohan looks as if he could cry. Videl had been content to stay away from Azuki and Vegeta in their few weeks together, finding Nappa and Radditz's sort of submissive personalities more agreeable, but she can't help but ask, "Why?"

"You can't come to Frieza's station with us," Vegeta replies calmly, making Videl flinch.

"But Bulma gets to go!" Gohan shouts, clearly affected by this injustice, his eyes on Azuki rather than Vegeta.

She meets his gaze calmly and says, "Gohan, let me talk to you in my room."

He obediently follows her out of everyone else's earshot and she shuts the door behind them, her tail curled protectively around her. Gohan mimics her defensive stance, his own tail furling around his waist, and Azuki sighs, rubbing at her eyes tiredly.

"Gohan, listen to me. Don't interrupt until I'm finished. If you bring Videl to Frieza, he will kill her the moment he lays eyes on her." Gohan stays silent, too shocked to speak. "If he doesn't, she will become a whore for one of his soldiers. If you come, you will immediately be drafted into his army, and you will be no better than Vegeta or I."

"But – "

"Shut up, Gohan! You will be forced to purge planets. You will have to make entire races extinct. Now, we listened to your pleading and passed up the slave planet you were on before. But we will be dropping you off at a planet that we'll be stopping at, today, and you will stay there. It's already been purged, so you won't have to worry about Frieza's soldiers coming after you. It's relatively peaceful, as a peaceful race bought the planet so that they wouldn't have to worry about Frieza purging their own. You and Videl will be fine there."

"But you'll come back for us, right?" Gohan implores, his eyes shining pleadingly up at her. "After you defect from Frieza?"

Azuki sighs. "Yes, Gohan," she lies, "we'll come back for you."

The truth is, they can't. When they come back missing something quite important, Gohan wouldn't be happy. He wouldn't be so content to spar happily with them anymore, or share their meals, or listen to them foolishly attempt to teach him the Saiyan language. He will hate them. So they can't come back for him. They will never see him again.

Gohan follows Azuki out of the room, tail hanging dejectedly, and they all walk together to the hangar. Bulma watches, sadly, as Videl actually throws herself at Nappa's knees and hugs his shins, then does the same to Radditz. Videl doesn't have the element of surprise on Radditz, so he quickly shakes her off. Gohan makes the Saiyan salute first to Vegeta, and then to Azuki for a moment longer, which doesn't go unnoticed by the Saiyan prince. He then hugs Bulma fiercely and she wraps her arms around him tightly, sad to see him go. But she knows that they will see each other again, and soon.

Gohan hugs Azuki, and the younger Saiyan doesn't respond for a moment, standing stiffly. He whispers, "_Bushna," _quietly in her ear, and only then does Azuki tentatively wrap her arms around him.

And then they are gone.

The next few days pass quickly. Vegeta spends every moment he can in the Gravity Room with Azuki, and Radditz and Nappa train outside of it, unable to keep up with the intense training of the Saiyan royalty.

And then, the night before they will arrive at Frieza's ship, Vegeta joins Bulma for their ritual. Except this time, after they are done, he stays.

* * *

**A/N: Frieza is next chapter! Oh, and I promise Gohan and Videl aren't gone for good, which some of you might have guessed. We're reaching the beginning of the end for this half of the story!**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They arrive at Frieza's ship the next day, in significantly worse spirits than ever before. Everyone seems to be in depressed moods, and she notices that all four Saiyans are eating more than they usually do, as well. She follows suit, thinking that there must not be as much food served on Frieza's ship as is available here.

And then they come upon their destination, and Bulma gasps.

The Mother Ship is _huge_.

It is the size of an entire planet itself – one massive sphere of a spaceship, just hovering out in space, all silver hunking metal and tiny ships going in and out of it frequently like bees going to and from the hive. Vegeta's gaze darkens as he watches it, Azuki is more serious than normal, and Radditz and Nappa have fallen uncharacteristically silent.

A purple-skinned fish-looking creature waves their ship into a hangar, and Radditz carefully pilots it so that they touch down gently, landing right on a painted rectangle marked '1264-Saiyans'. The exit quickly, and Bulma looks around in awe. The hangar is bigger than any hangar Bulma has ever been in, with at least fifty other ships inside and aliens of all shapes and sizes moving around frantically.

The Saiyans lead her out of the hangar and down a wide hallway, with purple walls and pink carpet. Many aliens pass them as they walk by, either sending the Saiyans terrified glances or Bulma curious ones. She shrinks closer to Vegeta whenever she receives the latter. They pass series of doors, each inscribed with numbers and the name of a race. Finally, they reach the door that reads '1264 – Saiyans' and enter.

It is a rather small room, made even more cramped by the four uncomfortable-looking beds taking up at least half the space. There is one bathroom, and one closet that has each of the Saiyan's armor cramped inside. "This is it?" Bulma asks blandly.

"This is it," Azuki replies.

* * *

It had taken her a while to get Vegeta to let her go, and a few promises that she wouldn't be long, as they had a meeting with Frieza in an hour, as Zarbon had taken great glee in telling them. But finally Azuki has been able to get away and walk down the halls of the familiar planet-ship on her own. She wanted to scope out the place, and she had heard (well, gotten out of a man after she had slammed him against the wall) that a certain man she knew was here. And she hadn't seen him in a while.

Also, she wanted to get away from Bulma.

She finally reaches the room she had been looking for (it took ages to reach it, as his quarters were in a different section of the ship) and she walks in without invitation. His room is quite a bit nicer than hers, with one center room with four couches, an armchair and a monitor, a little kitchen, and four doors in separate corners of the room, leading to the respective members of the Force's personal rooms. Figures Ginyu would have his own somewhere else.

Azuki heads for the one marked with the name of the man she is looking for, and walks in without knocking. The man in question looks up at her in confusion, from where he had (typically) been playing with some sort of object that looked suspiciously like a toy. Upon seeing her, his face breaks out in an innocent, childish grin.

"Hey, Recoome." Azuki says with a smirk.

* * *

Gohan pulls Videl by the hand behind him, ignoring his companion's 'oo's' and 'aw's' of their surroundings. It is true that Azuki had dropped them off at a nice planet that resembles Earth, with green grass and blue skies. They are in a city that also resembles one of Earth's metropolis's, except with many different races walking around. Gohan understands that they need to find a place to stay for the night, and soon, or they might end up on the streets and he does not want that to happen, peaceful planet or not. Earth had been a peaceful planet, as well, but that didn't mean there weren't bad people around. He chances a glance at Videl, who gives him a reassured grin. She knows the importance as well, but is choosing to have a positive outlook for the most part, which does not surprise him.

"It'll be fine, Gohan." She says, and he smiles hesitantly.

He is paranoid; almost two years in the slave factory has rightly made him so. He is scared someone is going to jump out, proclaim that they are runaway slaves, and take them right back to that Kami forsaken planet. But if they were found, Azuki would save them, wouldn't she? But he is not sure when she will leave Frieza's ship. Her ki has dropped off his radar, and he guesses that she has arrived at Frieza's ship, a place too far away for him to sense.

"Hey, kid!"

Without even looking up at who is calling to him, instincts make Gohan immediately pull Videl away from the voice, both of them sprinting away and ducking through alleyways, trying to throw off whoever has taken an interest in them. He darts down the streets, avoiding hovercars and angry people yelling at them to watch out. He wishes they could move faster, but Videl isn't as quick as he and so he must slow himself down to stay with her pace. He would never leave her behind, even if it meant going back to that place.

Judging from the annoyed sounds of the pedestrians on the street and the unmistakable sound of feet pounding on the street behind them, their pursuer has not stopped chase. "Gohan, stop!"

Gohan, now fully convinced that this man is from the slave planet since he knows his name, takes to the air with Videl in his arms.

Their follower phases directly in front of him, and Gohan screeches to a stop, terrified.

That is, until he catches sight of who had been chasing them.

* * *

Bulma sits on the floor of the room, legs crossed, watching Vegeta making sure the room had everything that had been in it when he left. Nappa and Radditz had left in search of food with a promise to bring some back, and she wasn't sure where Azuki had run off to. "You'll have to come with us to see Frieza." Vegeta says, not meeting her apprehensive glance.

"I do? Why?"

"He wants to see you." He must have seen the panic in her face, because he adds, "Frieza doesn't like to have people on his ship that he does not know."

"Its not like I'm much of a threat."

"Frieza's paranoid."

Bulma leans back on the bed, sighing. "Will he hurt you?"

"I think it is you who should be worried."

Bulma notices something off about Vegeta, something more apprehensive than usual. He refuses to meet her eyes, instead busying himself with moving about the room. She attributes it to nervousness about seeing Frieza for the first time in half a year. From what she has gathered, it is the longest he has ever been away from his ruler. She stands, moving to intercept Vegeta, and runs her hands up and down his chest. "It'll be ok, Vegeta." She whispers, pressing her lips against the crevice of his neck. "It'll be alright."

"No," he responds cryptically, his voice dark, "it won't."

* * *

"Piccolo?"

The green Demon King nods in response. Back on Earth, when they had been attacked, Piccolo had joined forces with them to attempt to save their planet. He had fused with Kami to gain power, and had incidentally gained some of his attributes, but the combined power of both had still not been enough. Gohan considers him a strong ally, and is happy to see him. "It is good to see you alive, Gohan. I feel that there is a lot that the both of us need to fill the other in on." His eyes flicker to Videl for a moment, then back to Gohan. Gohan moves so that he is slightly in front of Videl, then catches Piccolo's look, and stops himself.

"Sorry. Um, habit, I guess." He attempts to amend, scratching the back of his head (and, Piccolo notices, looking much like his father), and smiles sheepishly. Piccolo marvels at how distrusting the boy had become. He had once been one that had been ready to accept all, no matter what.

Gohan gives Videl, who looks terrified at the appearance of the Demon King, a reassuring nod, then follows Piccolo back to the ground. He begins to lead them through the streets, his long cape flowing behind him, giving him a regal look. The people passing by don't spare them much of a glance, giving Gohan the impression that Piccolo is not a strange sight, here. "There is a faction of the Rebellion here; I feel they will be happy to accept you two into their midst."

"Piccolo, is my dad here?" Gohan asks hopefully.

"No," Piccolo responds, a bit of regret in his tone. "I don't know where your father is, Gohan."

* * *

Azuki grins, leaping up onto Recoome's bed, and glances at what he had been holding, asking, "Recoome, is that a _toy_?"

"No!" Recoome responds quickly. "It is a spaceship."

Azuki looks closer at the object, and smirks. "A _toy_ spaceship."

"Recoome does not play with toys!"

Azuki had met Recoome when she was six and he fifteen. He had not yet been part of the Ginyu Force, and had gone with Azuki on a purge mission. It had been both of their first, and Frieza had refused to allow them to go with anyone that they actually knew, in an attempt to test their skills and weed out the weakest of his soldiers. It had been a hard mission, coupled with many rescue attempts from both parties. Azuki had been about ready to kill Recoome at the beginning, as the man had had the mind of a five year-old, but there was only so much saving and fighting side-by-side that two could go through without, inevitably, growing closer.

Recoome hated Vegeta with more venom than she had ever seen the child-man display, but it didn't really deter her. She didn't blame him, after all. Vegeta liked to insult Recoome on his slow mind and wasn't even aware of his and Azuki's closeness. In return, Azuki hated every member of the Ginyu Force with equal passion, and they hated her.

An added plus was that there were no ulterior motives with Recoome. There was no hidden meaning to decipher in his speech, he didn't speak in riddles, and there was no reason not to believe that he was telling you the truth. Recoome simply was not smart enough to hide his true meaning with cleverly thought up lies. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. It was a nice breath of fresh air in contrast to everything else that Azuki had to deal with.

"Recoome has not seen you in a while. Recoome has missed you." Recoome says with a lopsided grin, watching Azuki pick up his miniature spaceship and scoff at it.

"Recoome, you are much too sappy for your own good. How are you even on the Ginyu Force?" Azuki thinks of the Force's flamboyant dance moves and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Wait, nevermind, I know why."

"Have you missed Recoome?"

Azuki rolls her eyes but the smirk does not leave her face. "You ask that every time we see each other, and I give you the same answer."

"Recoome knows. Azuki does not have emotional attachments." Recoome frowns, pouting.

"I forgot how annoying you are, Recoome." Azuki says, shaking her head in annoyance. "In a few minutes you'll be asking me to dance with you."

Recoome gets on his knees, excitement in his features and starts to clap his hands together. "Will you?"

Azuki moans, rubbing at her eyes and wondering why she had come to see the overgrown child in the first place. "No, Recoome."

* * *

Vegeta leads Bulma, Nappa, and Radditz down the many hallways to their meeting with Frieza. She can't help the churning of her stomach, terrified to see him for the first time, her mind conjuring up horrible images of seven-foot tall beasts with horns. Azuki meets up with them in a hallway, and none of them speak in apprehension for what is to come.

They finally come to a door that Bulma estimates to be in the very center of the spaceship/planet. The door is grand; even taller than Radditz and Nappa. It reaches the ceiling and is purple with gold framing around it. Vegeta glances at Bulma once, and the dark look in his eyes makes her even more nervous.

Azuki is the one to open the door.

The room has the same color scheme as the rest of the ship; purple walls and pink carpet. It is very feminine, Bulma thinks, wondering who chose it. The wall that they face is a gigantic window looking out into the darkness of space, dismissing Bulma's theory that Frieza's room is in the center of the spaceship. Zarbon and a pink blob of an alien with purple lips are facing them, and in-between them is a hoverchair, its back to them. All Bulma can see of Frieza is a large, pink tail with a purple tip and his horns sticking out from over the top of the chair.

Vegeta leads them all to the center of the room, and then gets on his knees, bowing low. The three other Saiyans quickly follow suit, and Bulma hastily mimics them.

"It took you long enough," says Frieza. His voice is nothing like Bulma had envisioned; it is high and almost feminine, and it grates on her ears. "I give you two simple missions, and it takes you half a year? I've missed my monkeys."

From next to her, Vegeta stiffens. Azuki's frown hardens, and a shiver goes up Bulma's spine.

"Well? What took so long?"

"We met some trouble," Vegeta says, voice perfectly even, head still lowered. Bulma looks up through her bangs and sees Zarbon smirking.

"You disappoint me, Vegeta. I thought you could handle yourself out in the big, bad Universe."

Vegeta tenses, his teeth grounding together.

"Well? Was the planet purged?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"And the Leader? Was he captured?"

"He perished on the way here, My Lord." This time, Azuki speaks before Vegeta can. He shoots her a glare that the meaning of is lost on Bulma.

There is a deathly silence in the room, and the tension is impossibly thick. Finally, Frieza says, "I assume this was your fault, Azuki?"

"Yes, My Lord. I did not cripple him enough. He was able to slit his own throat while we were sleeping."

Frieza turns.

His body matches his voice, both unexpected. She understands the pink and purple color scheme, now, as his arms and legs are pink, and his chestplate and forehead purple. He is much smaller than she imagined, and yet there is something terrifying about him, something foreboding.

His red eyes fall on her.

"I will deal with you later, Azuki, as I am not in the mood now. Do not think that you have gotten out of your punishment, either, Vegeta. Is this the one?" He asks, gesturing to Bulma. She looks up at him in confusion, then at Vegeta, who nods without meeting her terrified glance. "Hm, I admit that when I said blue, I did not mean hair, but skin." With each word Bulma's blood runs even colder, her heart pounding painfully in her chest, but she expels the feeling of betrayal that is slowly swelling in her gut. No, surely not? She looks to Azuki for answers, but she, like her brother, avoids eye contact, keeping her gaze trained on the ground. "She will have to do, I suppose. Zarbon," Frieza glances over at his henchman, "take her to my quarters, would you please?"

"No," Bulma whispers as Zarbon advances on her, grinning wickedly. He grabs her and she struggles, screaming, but he carelessly tosses her over his shoulder. He turns so that she faces the Saiyans, _her_ Saiyans, and Bulma pounds his back, screaming, "No! Vegeta, _Vegeta_, NO! Don't let him, please Vegeta, _please_!"

Vegeta's eyes stay on the ground. He does not acknowledge her, does not move, and his expression does not falter.

Frieza laughs coldly. "You did not tell her, then? A good move, I suppose, if you wanted her not to kill herself on the way here. But it seems she's grown rather attached to you, Vegeta!" Vegeta's eyes do not stray from the ground, his body tense.

Bulma's fingers scrape Zarbon's back fruitlessly, tears in her eyes. They had betrayed her. They had planned this from the beginning. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have _trusted_ them? Bulma stops screaming, all the fight leaving her body as the betrayal seeps in. Only then does he look up, most likely thinking her gone, and meets her eyes.

Bulma's heart shatters as the door Zarbon pulls her through shuts, leaving her with the image of Vegeta's black, empty gaze.

_No._

* * *

**A/N: I think a lot of you saw this coming. There's been a lot of little hints, as far back as Chapter 2. Anyways, one more thing: Don't hate me for the Azuki/Recoome thing. It is NOT a relationship or pairing or whatever, but simply a friendship, and it is really important for future chapters. I didn't just throw it in there because I felt like it. ****And I know Recoome isn't as childish or stupid in the anime as I made him here, but that is how I'm characterizing him, because I feel Azuki would be more drawn to a childish character, as she is pretty childish in some ways as well. Hope you guys liked it!**_  
_


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Frieza had told them to bring back a slave.

Six months ago, he had told them that he wanted a blue slave. He knew that blue was the color of Saiyan royalty, and had been rubbing it in their faces. It had been a punishment; a horrible, terrible punishment that had greatly angered all of them. They did not want to waste time hunting for a stupid blue slave, they wanted to purge, to _kill_.

They had gone through four slaves before Bulma. One with blue skin, one with a blue nose, one with blue breasts, and one with blue eyes. In spite and anger of the mission that they had been given, Vegeta had told the first one of her purpose. She had promptly killed herself. The next three he had killed himself, bored with them and wanting something that would give Frieza a little trouble.

When Azuki spotted Bulma in the crowd on Uni, she had known it would not please Frieza if they got someone who was humanoid, like them. Vegeta had deduced this as well, so they had gotten her. And she had lasted. After Zarbon had reprimanded them for taking so much time, he knew that they could not dodge around anymore, and had to make their way back. So Bulma had survived. She had made it.

But something had happened in that cell in the middle of the Resistance. Something terrible, something that no one had been expecting, especially Vegeta. _This wasn't supposed to happen_.

Seeing the betrayal in her eyes had not been pleasant. It had reminded him of when his father gave him over to Frieza.

He could look past this, however. He did not need her. He would be fine without her, and things would go back to normal. Azuki had been right when she confronted him; it couldn't happen. It wasn't right.

He wants to hate her. He wants to despise Bulma with every fiber of his being, but he can't. It's normally so easy, but there is something stopping him, this time. He hates himself for it, but he can't. He can't hate her.

* * *

She hates him. Bulma hates them all. She hates Vegeta, she hates Azuki, she hates Radditz, and she hates Nappa. They had betrayed her. How had she been stupid enough to not see it coming? Why had she thought that they wouldn't do such a thing to her? Vegeta had _used_ her, used her for sex and then tossed her out like garbage.

She hates herself for trusting them.

And now here she is, chained to Frieza's bedpost, waiting for something to happen. She is terrified, but refuses to allow herself to think on what is going to happen to her. She can't think like that.

She can almost see Yamcha watching her, laughing at her for trusting the Saiyans, telling her that he knew they were bad from the beginning.

She won't cry. She won't. She'll be strong.

Frieza's room is grand. It is three times the size of her room on the ship, with a bed about the size of the Saiyan's room here. There is a grand bathroom in the corner, with a large vanity, a gigantic marble shower, and a golden toilet. The carpet is blood red, and the purple walls are decorated with gold trinkets that Bulma cannot identify. She isn't sure if she wants to.

Zarbon had chained her to the bedpost. She leans her forehead against the soft cushion of the bed, taking deep breaths.

The door opens. Frieza enters, floating in on his hoverchair, and ignoring her. She watches him, silent, as he steps out of the hoverchair and stretches his limbs. He seems so _fragile_, like she could break him if she tried hard enough.

He finally notices her, his red eyes resting on her form and a small smirk dons his features. A shiver of fear goes up her spine, and, though fragile-looking, she cannot deny the feeling of power that he emanates.

"My pet," Frieza coos, walking towards her. Bulma scoots back against the wall, trying not to let the fear she is feeling show in her eyes. "It's been a long day for me." His tail thumps the ground as he continues to move towards her. "Won't you help me, now?"

* * *

Azuki dodges Recoome's fists, the exertion of fighting the giant starting to really get to her. He is easily much stronger than her, and is holding back, but she still can't lay a fist on him and must devote most of her time to dodging his flying fists.

Recoome stops his onslaught temporarily, watching Azuki in wide-eyed confusion. "You seem upset," he says, and Azuki blinks at him, shocked by his statement.

"What?"

"Is Azuki upset with Recoome?"

She shakes her head, annoyed. "No, Recoome, I'm fine. Why would you say that?"

"Your mind seems elsewhere."

"Since when are you the master of observation?"

"Recoome is not stupid," he says indignantly, and Azuki snorts loudly.

"Right, that's a good one."

"What is the matter? Can Recoome help?"

For a moment Azuki thinks of Bulma's betrayed look, of her shocked, terrified expression, and she can _almost_ see what their slave is going through right now.

Frieza will rape her until she breaks. His sex slaves usually don't last long. Their mind goes; they go insane. The moment they don't please him any longer, he kills them, usually by some form of torture. He delights in it, takes pleasure in watching their mind deteriorate. He thinks that there is something beautiful in the easy way a weak mind can be prodded into going crazy.

"No, Recoome," Azuki says finally, "I'm just a bit anxious for my next meeting with Frieza, is all."

"Why?" Recoome asks, innocence in his face. Being part of the Ginyu Force, Recoome has not had to endure one of Frieza's torture sessions since he was young, and has probably blocked most of them from his mind.

"I just got in trouble, and stop looking at me like that. It'll be fine."

Azuki and Recoome touch down on the ground, their sparring put on a temporary hold. They had been fighting in one of the lesser-known chambers on Frieza's ship that could be locked, as it wouldn't be good if they were seen. The Saiyans and the Ginyu Force were known to be enemies, and it certainly wouldn't do if either Vegeta or Ginyu found out that they trained together. Recoome might be kicked off the Force, and Vegeta certainly wouldn't be happy.

"You have grown stronger," Recoome says with a lopsided grin.

Azuki smiles back. "Thanks, Recoome, but you better train a little harder. I think I'm catching up to you." She charges him, fists flying and Recoome jumps back into the fray with a happy grin.

* * *

Frieza unchains her from the bedpost, but keeps her wrists chained together for the moment as disappears into the bathroom. Bulma tugs on the chain, testing their strength, and thinking of a plan quickly.

When Frieza reenters, he takes off his armor and drapes it on his hoverchair, his back to her.

Bulma leaps.

She latches herself to his back and wraps the chain around his neck, trying desperately to choke her attacker and end this before it can begin. She pulls her wrists back as hard as she can, the chain pressing into his throat.

Frieza laughs.

He turns, grabs her, and tosses her onto the bed with no effort at all. Bulma screams as he continues laughing. "Silly little human, if a pathetic lifeform such as yourself could kill _me_, do you think I would still be here?" He advances and grabs her arm in a painful grip, tearing off her clothes with horrible eagerness. He pins her against the bed, leering all the while.

"What is this?" he asks, tracing the Saiyan insignia carved into her skin with a finger. "_That _won't do."

Bulma curses him, screaming hateful words at him, but he only seems to take pleasure in her hatred, laughing and telling her how very feisty she is.

* * *

Frieza smiles to himself as he hears his new toy slip out of the bed. She probably believes him to be asleep, and is now attempting her grand escape attempt. The majority of his slaves usually did make at least one pathetic attempt at freedom, and he usually liked those better. They were more fun.

He'd let her go. He'd let her get out, and then, once she was cornered by one of his soldiers who wished to rape her, he'd save her. And then she would learn that she was safest with _him_.

* * *

Bulma tears through the many hallways, desperate to escape this new hell, but there are so many different pathways and she can't remember how to get out. Why had she not committed to memory exactly how they had gotten to Frieza's chambers? She knows the answer: she had thought she would always have Vegeta to guide her.

It is either very late or very early, as Bulma has yet to encounter anyone in the hallways. She passes by a cafeteria, but then again she has already passed four. She just needs to find a _hangar_, surely there are several in this monstrosity of a spaceship?

While looking over her shoulder in a paranoid attempt to see if anyone is secretly pursuing her, Bulma slams into something solid and bounces right off, falling to the ground. A green-skinned man with tentacles instead of arms blinks at her in shock, then quickly recovers, grinning delightedly. Bulma scoots back, terrified, but the creature pins her to the ground with a foot.

"And just what are you doing out so late, Pretty?" He asks, his voice scratchy and hoarse, and Bulma shakes her head, words failing her. Had she escaped a monster only to encounter another?

He leans down to touch her, and Bulma instinctively screams, her cry echoing down the hallways and destroying any hope of escape she had once held.

"Come now, don't be scared, I'll make – " He stops, his expression going slack, and Bulma moves out of the way quickly as his body crashes to the ground, the back of his armor smoking from a ki blast.

A gigantic man with a tuft of wild red hair on top of his head grins back at her, something innocent in his expression. Bulma stares at his huge form in terror, wondering if they were fighting over who gets to rape her now –

"Damn, Recoome, what is it with you and saving slaves? Remember that one time in the Valdeeves – "

Bulma has frozen in place at the familiar voice, and when Azuki rounds the corner and sets eyes on her, she stops, too, her expression going cold. The man, Recoome, just grins, unknowing of the stare-down going down in front of him. "That girl was very nice on Valdeeves, she was nice to Recoome, so Recoome did something nice to her – "

"What the fuck are you doing?" Azuki hisses, cutting off Recoome, who looks at her in confusion.

"Recoome was just – "

"Not you, idiot," Azuki snaps, and Recoome falls silent. "What the fuck are you doing roaming the halls at night? Do you have _any_ idea – "

Bulma is overcome with such rage that she leaps to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at Azuki. "How _dare_ you – do you have any idea what I've been through tonight – he raped me, he raped me you _bitch_ – "

Azuki moves towards her and Bulma flinches instinctively, thinking she will strike, but Azuki just shakes her head and grabs her arm and shoves her in the way she had been heading. "That way is a – Lord Frieza," Azuki stops, she and Recoome bowing low, and Bulma freezes, turning slowly to see Frieza walking towards them, hoverchair absent.

"Ah, I see you've found my runaway slave," he says, smiling pleasantly at Recoome and completely ignoring Azuki. "Thank you, Recoome." He turns his red gaze on her. "Now, were you hungry, pet? All you had to do was ask." He smiles at her, his tail wrapping around her thigh and pulling her back in the direction she had come. Bulma does not fight, knowing it pointless.

* * *

He brings her three meals a day. He lets her bathe in his grand bathroom. He caresses her face as if she would break in his grasp if he were not gentle enough. He rapes her every night.

Bulma withdraws into herself.

The only way to not break is to not feel, she decides, so she lets him have his way with her every night without putting up any more fight than she did the first night. He smiles at her, tells her that she is so fragile, and that he must be careful not to break her.

He doesn't give her any clothes. She must sit in his room, every minute of every day, naked. She loses track of how much time goes by, as the only inclination that she has that its nighttime is when he comes inside to rape her. She doesn't see Vegeta, or any of the other Saiyans, because she is not allowed to leave her room.

Sometimes, when Frieza is gone, she just sits in front of the mirror and stares at herself. She is scarred from Frieza's nightly exploits, and all the weight that she had gained back on Vegeta's ship has been lost on Frieza's ship. She looks like she did back on Uni. She closes her eyes and pretends that Yamcha is sitting next to her, or Goku, or her parents.

Sometimes, she pretends that Vegeta is next to her, his strong, silent presence enough to make her feel more relaxed.

But then she must open her eyes and see nothing but herself, scarred and beaten.

There is nothing left, nothing left to live for, nothing left to die for. Her Saiyans betrayed her. She is a sex slave. There is no point to her existence, anymore. But she will not kill herself. The thought doesn't even cross her mind. Frieza leaves plenty of tools in his room that could be used to carry out such a deed, but Bulma will not do it.

There is no hope of escape. Frieza's room is connected to his throne room, and he's either in one of the other. Anything he needs is brought to him. There is no way to escape. She tries to think of how she could get around him, but comes up with nothing.

There is no hope.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked this chapter! Sorry it's so short!**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: So the first part of this chapter should have been in LAST chapter, but I screwed up. And now its all messed up and jumpy and I hate it but I hope you guys forgive me :)  
**

Chapter 16

**One month earlier**

"Talk, Gohan," Piccolo commands, folding his arms over his chest in a way reminiscent of Vegeta and glaring down at him in an intimidating way that makes Gohan squirm. Videl, from beside him, squeezes his hand in reassurance.

_Gohan screams as his dad flies backwards from the force of the blast that had been meant for Gohan, and Goku disappears from view as he crashes into one of the city's larger buildings, making the already-weak structure crumble to the ground over his father. Tears stain Gohan's cheeks as he screams desperately for his father.  
_

_ He tries to fly to his dad's aide but the same man that had shot him down with a laser-gun grabs him, pulling him back by his shirt and slamming his fist into Gohan's face. Gohan cries out, screaming for his dad, but Goku is gone and Gohan is caught, ensnared in the fists of a stranger._

_ He struggles, screaming and kicking and trying desperately to get out of the man's grip, but he is simply weaker than this alien and there is nothing he can do, and they toss him into a room on one of their ships carelessly, leaving him alone in a room._

_And he hates himself for being so weak, hates himself for being unable to save his father and his world and his family and he vows to never again be too weak. He wonders if his mother is alive, and longs for her loving touch desperately as he curls in a ball on the cold ground, crying softly to himself, so alone.  
_

_ After he is brought into a white room and sedated, he wakes back up in his lonely room and he can hear the aliens' speaking outside of his door with his advanced hearing. He presses his ear to the door, listening intently. _

_ "Child slaves fetch large profits, since they can be raised into whatever the Master wants. Especially strong ones, and this kid was extremely strong for his age. That's why I separated him from the others."_

_ "Just put him in the room with the other children, fool. We'll sell him for more."_

_ That was when he was dragged into the room with ten other kids, all apparently strong enough to be slaves, and that was where he met Videl, who had attacked one of the aliens screaming and spitting when they had killed her father and had gained their interest.  
_

Gohan then tells Piccolo of how the Saiyans had rescued him and Videl from the slave planet and brought them here, and Piccolo's brow furrows. "The Saiyans?" He repeats, his voice betraying his obvious hatred for them, and Gohan nods eagerly.

"They aren't bad Piccolo; Azuki said she'd be back for me."

It is apparent that Piccolo doubts it, as his expression darkens. "Gohan, if the Saiyans show up here they won't be welcomed."

"But – "

"They're murderers, Gohan. They're monsters. Half the people here's worlds were destroyed thanks to the Saiyans."

"They're _forced_ into it, they hate Frieza just as much as us –"

"Then they have deceived you." Piccolo's voice rises with his frustration. "There is one man here who said that this _Azuki_ made him choose which of his family he could save, and he had to pick one of his six children and see the betrayal of the others, and then she killed them anyway, right in front of him."

"No!"

"And _laughed_."

"Why would they have kept us alive, then?" Gohan is now shouting, hating Piccolo for doubting the other Saiyans, because he is the one that was with them and Piccolo did not see the way they were, he did not see the hatred in their eyes when Frieza was mentioned and he does not believe Piccolo's story, believing that the Demon King was just trying to turn him against them. Piccolo's brow raises at Gohan's outburst, and Videl strokes the palm of his hand, calming him down.

"I don't know," Piccolo concedes once he sees that Gohan has reigned in his temper, looking away from Gohan and Videl, who has been keeping quiet throughout the confrontation. "But don't mention them here. The people here wouldn't take too kindly to it."

"But _I'm_ a Saiyan." Gohan says, hoping to catch Piccolo by surprise, but the Demon King just nods calmly.

"Yes, and I've already told them about you. Now let me tell you of what happened to me."

Piccolo had been captured and taken to a mining planet to work, the masters thinking his strength would come in handy, and he had trained and trained in silence in the nights, keeping up his strength due to the fact that he only needed water to survive and the masters kept all of the other slaves weak by starving them, but still strong enough to work. Piccolo had given his rations to other slaves to keep up the appearance that he was weakening in the same way, and then had struck his slave master when his back was turned, killing him with cold efficiency and fighting his way to the hangar of the planet, stealing a ship and taking off. The guards had been pathetically weak compared to him, and it had not been too troublesome, and while making his way to freedom his ship had been attacked by some of the Rebellion, only for them to realize it was stolen and give him a ride on their own ship. They had directed him to this planet, and he had resided here for almost six months, now.

"You two will be safe here, Gohan. I will train you – "

"Me too!" Videl cries, speaking for the first time.

"- and you will help us start and win the war."

"War?" Gohan asks, it being the first he had heard the word mentioned here, and Piccolo nods gravely.

"We're going to start a war, Gohan. A war that will change the Universe."

* * *

**Present time**

After an indefinite amount of time, Frieza lets her out. He chains her to his hoverchair like some kind of dog, and she crouches by his side, naked, with Zarbon and Dodoria's eyes on her. Frieza rests a hand on the top of her head possessively, and she resists the urge to shake it off, knowing that it would not end in anything good for her. She does not want to be confined to the huge (cramped) room again.

She does not have to wait long to know why he let her out.

Vegeta enters the room, head held high, but once he catches sight of her, his resolve breaks for a moment. His eyes widen, and flashes of several different emotions cross his eyes as he takes in her nudity, her bruises, her scars. She wants to glare hatefully at him but she can't find the energy, so she keeps her eyes pinned to the floor, her blue bangs hiding her face from him.

Frieza beats him.

She must listen to his bones shatter, listen to Frieza laugh, listen to the sounds of torture. She looks up finally after hearing a loud crack, and he is lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, limbs protruding at awkward angles. Frieza presses his foot against Vegeta's arm, which is twisted and limp, and leans down to press his black lips to Vegeta's temple like a loving father might.

"Stop," Bulma whispers, voice hoarse from misuse. "Please." Tears stain the corners of her eyes and she tugs at the chains binding her to Frieza's abandoned hoverchair weakly.

Frieza does not hear her, but Vegeta does. He looks up, his dark eyes lidded with pain, and watches her. She meets his gaze, too tired to hate, and cries. His unbroken arm is sprawled in front of him towards Bulma, fingers scratching against the carpet, and he tries to pull himself up with that limb to retain some kind of dignity in front of her.

Frieza promptly snaps his arm.

Bulma looks away, biting her lip to prevent herself from screaming. Some part of herself, an evil part, thinks he deserves this pain. He will go to the rejuvenation tank and will be fixed in no time at all. She, however, is confined to this fate. She cannot escape.

She is too tired to hate, but she is also too tired to forgive.

* * *

Azuki slams a stack of papers onto the bed next to Vegeta, her body tense and her tail waving behind her in obvious agitation. Vegeta raises a curious eyebrow, wondering what had gotten his sister so enraged.

"They've given us our next assignment."

"And?" Vegeta asks, leaning back on his bed. "So it's a bit sooner than usual, but isn't that a good thing? We get out of here."

"Vegeta," Azuki says dangerously, her tone one of deadly seriousness, and Vegeta perks up, confused, and really looks at her. Her hair is tousled, her eyes are glinting with maliciousness, and she looks more tired than he remembered. He wonders if he looks the same. "It's Tarble's planet."

Vegeta's blood runs cold. He or Azuki had not spoken of their brother since he was transported off of Vegeta-sai, but that did not mean that they had forgotten about him. How could they? He was family, however embarassing that may be. "But the planet he was sent to was out of Frieza's range," he says, trying to convince himself it's a mistake.

"His empire has grown," Azuki says, giving the answer that Vegeta already knew. "As his influence spreads, so does his reach."

Vegeta leans back against his bed and closes his eyes, mindful of the expecting looks of Nappa and Radditz, who had respectfully remained silent. They cannot possibly know of the bond held between siblings; Nappa had none and Radditz's brother is dead. Tarble is family, and Vegeta cannot kill his brother, much in the same way he cannot kill Azuki. He may be a weak good-for-nothing pathetic fool, but that did not mean that Vegeta _wants_ to kill him. He doesn't like him, but killing him would not be...pleasant.

Flashes of Tarble's admiring eyes while watching him spar (Azuki had been too young), of his obvious devotion to his family, and of his betrayed cries when he was sent away ring through Vegeta's mind.

_Please, Vegeta, please don't let me go. 'Zuki, 'Zuki please, please don't hate me._

And Vegeta had turned away from him as his father crammed him into the pod, knowing that when his father brushed some of Tarble's locks aside that it was for protection and not out of embarassment that he was being sent away. But at such a young age, Tarble had not understood._  
_

"We will go," he says finally, and before Azuki can open her mouth in protest, he says, "but we will allow Tarble to escape. Frieza will surely not notice one less kill."

"Don't you think he's given us this planet on purpose? He_ knows_ – "

"I know that," Vegeta snaps, cutting her off. "We must hope for the best."

* * *

"My pet," Frieza says, stroking Bulma's hair as she lies on the bed, broken and tired. "I'm afraid that you'll have to spend some time with Zarbon."

Bulma doesn't allow Frieza the satisfaction of getting any kind of emotion from her. She simply lies on her side on the bed, face void of any trace that she had heard him, secretly relieved because even Zarbon with the evil yellow eyes can't be worse than Frieza.

* * *

Azuki struts down the hall, her tail waving agitatedly behind her, her mind more on how they were going to avoid killing Tarble rather than the torture session that was about to happen to her. Her memory of Tarble is distorted; faint images of pleading words and loving touches, and she was so young that it was before she learned how to hate, and she remembers loving her brother, who had spent more time with her than Vegeta, and who, through her hazy memories, she remembered being so gentle and enamored by her.

She had seen Vegeta when Frieza was through with him and it had been the same old thing: broken bones that could be mended and thankfully nothing permanent. She is also uplifted by the fact that, even though getting a simple tattoo of the Saiyan insignia had landed her in the torture chambers (and letting the leader of the Resistance die is a far worse thing), she has no time to go down there because they are scheduled to leave in two days. Frieza wouldn't send her down there so close to a mission, for it could compromise it. So she prepares herself for a simple beating; the least cruel of Frieza's punishments.

Azuki enters the throne room and bows low, rising to meet Frieza's red eyes and see the eagerness in them. She represses a shudder.

"Follow me, monkey," says Frieza, and he leaves the room and enters the door that leads to his chambers. The way he had said monkey makes her apprehensive, as it sounded like more of a term of endearment than an insult, and she has never received a beating in his room before. She supposes he wants to show her Bulma; show her the slave's beaten body and frail mind as an example of what she will be if she doesn't straighten up, so she follows.

"You've been naughty," Frieza says, his voice teasing, and Azuki stiffens, nervous. "It seems I can't teach you anything, so we're going to have to resort to something else." He runs his fingers down her tail, stroking it softly, and Azuki stifles a cry, realization setting in when she doesn't see Bulma in the room.

She fights. She screams and kicks and claws but she _doesn't cry_, she won't, and one time she breaks from his grip and scrambles for the door but Frieza grabs her by the tail, pulling her back and slamming her into the wall, ignoring the animal-like wail that tears from Azuki's lips.

Frieza has never raped her before. He has always saved that for his slaves, as it was more a psychological punishment than a physical one, and he didn't want his soldiers going crazy. The worst punishment for a soldier was the chambers. He had never raped her before.

Frieza had never raped her before until now.

* * *

Zarbon is just as bad as Frieza, except he doesn't waste time with false loving words and gentle caresses. He just fucks her, long and hard, making her scream and cry and beg, but he doesn't care. She beats her fists against his body, and he laughs, wondering aloud how she still has fight left. Bulma wonders, herself, as she had resigned herself to Frieza and stopped fighting, but this new demon makes her want nothing more than to fight back and not make it easy, even though she doesn't stop him in the slightest.

There is a slight perk. He is more beautiful than Frieza, and if she can just close her eyes and pretend he is the love of her life and only see him for his beauty and nothing more, than she can make herself believe that this isn't _so_ bad.

"You actually thought those monkeys cared for you, didn't you?" He asks, whispering in her ear, after he is finished. Bulma refuses to meet his gaze, looking away, and he laughs softly; a beautiful, rich laugh. "How foolish of you. You know they don't love, they don't_ feel_. Did you actually think they _cared_? Were you that much of an idiot? Vegeta is a mindless killing machine, sculpted by Frieza and made to grow into exactly what Frieza is."

"You're wrong," Bulma whispers, surprising Zarbon and even herself, but her confidence grows and her voice rises. "He is nothing like Frieza." She doesn't know how she could possibly be defending him; she still hates him more than anything but she cannot allow Zarbon to say he is like Frieza, who tells her that she is so weak that he must be gentle, who combs his fingers through her hair, who tells her how _pretty_ she is. He is not like Frieza.

Zarbon laughs, loud and long. "You defend him? You defend the man who brought you here, who left you to die? You are a truly strange creature. It is a shame that you are not mine. I suppose I must consider myself lucky that Frieza let me have you for the week; I guess he didn't want you to get lonely."

"The week?" Bulma asks, surprising herself by her outspokenness (she had never spoken to Frieza so much), but she is so shocked by the statement that she can't help herself.

"Yes," says Zarbon, beginning to comb his fingers through her hair, "so you're all mine. May I wash your hair and comb it? It's so _dry."_

Even if Bulma objected she knows he would do it anyway, so she resigns herself to allowing Zarbon to playing with her hair, complimenting it on its softness.

* * *

Soooo sorry at how choppy the beginning is with the Gohan and Piccolo stuff. I hope you still liked it!


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: Extra quick update=extra short chapter. I think that's a fair trade :)  
**

Chapter 17

Vegeta steps into the room after training, drying his face off with a towel, and stops the moment his eyes fall on their room. The place has been ransacked; both his and Azuki's beds have been upturned, and there are dents in the walls that match the dents in the posts on the beds, as if someone had taken the bed and smashed it into the wall several times. Rage fills Vegeta as he wonders who had dared do this to their room, and he knows that they are going to pay, whoever they are. Azuki is sitting on Radditz's bed, staring down at her hands, and Vegeta wonders if she has beaten him to finding whoever did this, and then she looks up and meets his eyes, and he _knows_ that she is the culprit.

There is a crazed, almost deranged look in her that he had only seen once before. Her hands, from where they sit in her lap, are twitching, as if she longs to do something, to wrap those hands around someone's throat. She stares at him for a moment and Vegeta stares back, his mind trying to process why she would do such a thing. Was this one of her twisted jokes? She _had _trashed his room once and blamed it on some foreign dignitary that had been traveling with them (he had business selling weapons for the ships with Frieza) just because he hadn't given her the attention she wanted, and had only told him _after_ Vegeta had killed the man.

"Why?" Vegeta asks; one simple word, but said with enough venom to get Azuki to blink up at him. Her hands clench at her sides, and he sees one ripple of anger pass through her.

"Don't," she whispers, hatred and something more, something deeper, in her tone. Vegeta catches the scent of Frieza on her, and his eyes narrow in confusion.

"So you can't handle one beating anymore?" He sneers, realizing that he had forgotten her meeting with Frieza had been today. He knows, deep down inside, that it must have been something different than a beating, but she obviously didn't visit the chambers (they were meant for longer terms of punishment) and he can't wrack his brain for anything else that would have affected her so. He has only seen his sister in such a mood once before, and that had been when she had completely lost her mind on her first purge after she had been in the torture chambers.

"I can't," says Azuki. "I can't."

"If this is about Tarble –"

"_Vegeta_." Azuki's hands still; her eyes meet his and Vegeta stiffens, apprehensive, and wraps his tail around his waist instinctively. Her eyes are glistening, _glistening_ with unshed tears and he has never seen her cry before and he has the sudden impulse to turn and get out of the room. "He raped me."

Something inside of him tightens; some kind of monster inside of him roars, but Vegeta stays still, not allowing Azuki to see how much her words have affected him. There is only one person on the ship that could subdue Azuki enough to rape her; he doubts even Zarbon or Ginyu had the ability to keep her still long enough to have their way with her.

Azuki looks away, as if embarrassed, and she takes her tail in her hand and begins to rub her fingers through the coarse hair; something he had not seen her do since she was a child.

Vegeta doesn't want to care. He really doesn't.

"I'm leaving," Azuki whispers, and Vegeta snaps to attention, regarding her in shock. Was this it? "I'm done."

* * *

Radditz races back to their quarters hurriedly, Nappa at his side and barking at him to go faster, both of them barreling through the hallway and receiving annoyed shouts as they zoom pass other soldiers. Radditz shoves Nappa aside, eager to give the report first, and Nappa growls, picking up his speed. The news that they had heard was certainly something that Vegeta and Azuki would want to hear, and Radditz is eager to see how they will react.

He has a feeling that this news will change everything.

When they finally arrive at their quarters and barge in, tails wagging excitedly, they screech to a stop at the sight that greets their eyes.

"It isn't time!" Vegeta is shouting, veins in his forehead throbbing in the way they do when he is especially angry, and Azuki is on her feet standing in front of two overturned beds and a trashed room.

"I don't fucking care!" Azuki screams, waving her arms around. "You don't have to come!" And then her eyes fall on Radditz and Nappa, who both have frozen in the doorway, and Vegeta immediately notices her change in demeanor and turns, his angry eyes falling on the two other Saiyans, who flinch in unison at their Prince's dangerous look. Azuki recovers and turns back to Vegeta, ignoring the interruption, and jabs her finger in Vegeta's direction. "You can stay here and watch Bulma be burned to ashes and play Frieza's _pet_ for as long as you want –"

He hits her, so quickly that she cannot react and she crumbles to the floor. It does not take long for her to jump back to her feet and claw at Vegeta, sending them tumbling to the floor in a heap of hissing and clawing and punching, too confined in the tiny room to really fight in the way that they are used to. Nappa and Radditz bow respectively out, avoiding the heap of screaming Saiyans. Back on Vegeta-sei, it had not been uncommon for two royal siblings to fight for the throne, most of the time to the death, and it was law that no one could interfere until someone came out the victor. Radditz and Nappa know that this is different from any fight Vegeta or Azuki had ever had.

Vegeta pulls Azuki off of him and throws her across the room so that she slams into the wall and then falls on one of the beds. She scrambles to a crouching position and ducks underneath Vegeta's swinging arms, ramming her shoulder up into his stomach and making him wheeze, and then fisting his hair in her hand and slamming his head into her knee. He swipes his leg underneath her, sending her sprawling to the floor and tries to stomp her head, but she rolls out of the way, and Vegeta leaves a tiny crater in the floor. She grabs his ankle and pulls him to the floor with her, slamming her fist into the floor where his head had been a moment before, leaving a dent herself. Vegeta gets to his feet first and maneuvers so that he is behind her and elbows her back as hard as he possibly can, then positions his hand in front of her face and charges a ki blast to end it, the blood in his head pounding. He sees only red.

"My Prince!"

Nappa turns to Radditz, pure shock and horror in his face, and Vegeta slowly turns to face him, giving him a look that promised punishment if he didn't say something that was worth saying. Azuki pulls herself away from Vegeta in the moment of confusion and darts onto Radditz's bed, her eyes not leaving Vegeta, her tail waving frantically behind her in quick, jerky movements.

"What."

Radditz shifts from one foot to the other, nervous, and hurries to give Vegeta his message. "Lord Frieza has left the ship to go to a planet called Namek in search of something. He is off ship. Reports say that he took the Ginyu Force with him."

Frieza rarely left the Mother Ship, and when he did, it was for something especially important, and was not expected to happen again anytime soon.

A deathly silence falls over the room. Nappa gives Radditz a traitorous look, showing his displeasure at Radditz giving the message first, and then hurriedly looks back at his Prince, looking for some kind of change in emotion. Vegeta slowly turns and looks at Azuki, who tenses and bares her fangs in warning, scooting backwards on the bed and away from Vegeta much like a wounded cat would. Vegeta blinks at her, then says slowly, annunciating each word clearly and loudly, "He raped you." Azuki's demeanor changes completely, and she blinks at him in surprise, straightening. Radditz and Nappa don't bother hiding the shock, staring open-mouthed at Azuki. Vegeta, however, does not wait for a response. "He beats us." He turns away, back to them all. "He's sending us to Tarble's planet." And then he turns back to them, eyes glinting, and Azuki smiles slowly.

"This is our chance," Azuki whispers, voice now back to its former mischievous tone.

Vegeta stares at her, then nods. "This is our chance."

* * *

"We can't have any ships fast enough to follow us. They could shoot us down and kill us before we even get to taste freedom. So we'll have to go to each hangar and cripple them. There are twenty hangars in this ship," Azuki says seriously to the other three Saiyans, hands on her hips. "That means four for Nappa and Radditz each, and six for me and Vegeta."

"No," Vegeta says, cutting her off. "I have something else to do."

Azuki nods, not entirely surprised by his statement, and moves on without dwelling on the topic, sensing Vegeta's unease. "Fine. Nappa and Radditz, you take six each, and I'll take the eight in the upper half. We'll have to tamper with all the ships that could catch up to ours so that we can't be followed, so don't waste time with the slower ones." Nappa and Radditz nod solemnly.

"It shouldn't be difficult," Vegeta says. "If we try to go silently, you know that Zarbon will notice, since he likes to keep an eye on us. I don't want to risk getting shot down, because even _we_ wouldn't be able to get out of that."

"We might as well go out with a bang," Azuki grins.

Vegeta nods. "Zarbon is the strongest in the ship since the Ginyu Force went with Frieza, and I will take care of him."

Azuki folds her arms over her chest, jutting her lower lip out in a pout. "I wanted to kill Zarbon."

"Too bad," Vegeta snaps.

"We'll wear our scouters so that if anything freakishly goes wrong, we can contact each other." Azuki says to Nappa and Radditz, who nod. "Just leave the communications open."

"What could possibly go wrong?" Nappa asks, grinning cockily. "The strongest on the ship is Zarbon, and Prince Vegeta'll be taking care of him, and Dodoria's with Frieza…there's no one that can stop us."

Azuki smirks. "Exactly."

Vegeta breathes deeply, crossing his arms over his chest casually to hide his anxiety. He had not been free of Frieza's control since he was young, and now it is so close. He had been hesitant at first; it seemed, to him, like life other than under Frieza's control was just impossible. But then, as he and Azuki had been fighting, he had understood something.

It _was _time. Bulma entering his life and then being stripped away, Azuki being raped, Frieza sending them to Tarble's planet; it was all telling him something. It was all sending a message that life here, on Frieza's ship, was coming to an end, and a new phase was beginning. He could train in Bulma's GR and reach the Legendary, and then he would kill Frieza and assume his position as ruler of the Universe.

"This is it," he says to the others.

* * *

Bulma spreads herself out on Zarbon's bed. Much to her appreciation, he was gone just as much as Frieza, only showing up at night and staying until the wee hours of the morning, giving her a lot of time to herself to think.

She knows that this is her chance.

Frieza is off of the ship and if she can just catch Zarbon by surprise, she knows that she can kill him. He is infinitely weaker than Frieza, and if she plays it right, even _she_ can kill him.

She just has to figure out _how_.

Zarbon has a large vanity in the room, spanning across an entire wall so that when he rapes her she stares at it and can see herself being violated. He has an obsession with looking at himself in it, braiding and rebraiding his hair for at least ten minutes.

Bulma shatters it.

She takes a huge chair in the corner of the room and throws it into the mirror, and the beautiful thing breaks into millions of little pieces. She picks through it carefully, gaining a few cuts, but eventually finds what she's looking for: a long, jagged piece of glass so sharp that the edges slice into her hand.

Surely even _Zarbon_ can't survive a deep wound to the head.

Bulma takes a few deep breaths, holding her weapon so tightly in her hands that it cuts into her skin, making blood drip onto Zarbon's pristine white sheets.

"This is it," Bulma whispers to herself.

* * *

**A/N: Shit's about to go down next chapter.  
**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sooo much going on in this chapter. Just know that its relatively all going on at the same time. Also, don't expect this quick of updates in the future, haha, I just loved writing this chapter so I found it really easy to produce.**

Chapter 18

The flames lick at their former room, eating the four beds and destroying the remains of their former lives; the four Saiyans watch it silently and with a calm, accepting demeanor. Vegeta nods and Azuki grins, and then they disappear, scouters fastened to their heads and the communication lines open, so that they can hear their companions' every breath as they split up.

Azuki walks casually down the halls, the picture of perfect calmness to the people who walk by her, not even sparing her a glance. She enters one of the many elevators and grins warmly at the aliens already inside, and they shift from one foot to the other nervously as the door closes, confining them with the Saiyan.

When the door opens, all of them are dead.

Vegeta said not to draw any attention to themselves until they began destroying the hangars, but she just can't help it – she feels so _free_, so separate from these beings that serve Frieza and will never escape. The least she can do is put them out of their misery.

She enters the first hangar easily, smiling serenely, and the men inside give her weary looks, wondering what one of the Saiyans could want in a hangar that didn't contain the ship she belonged to. The aliens inside are pathetically weak; they have practically no power level to speak of and are just there to flag the ships in and work on them if there are any mechanical problems.

"Hello," Azuki says, and lifts both arms, making finger-guns and pointing them at the workers. They freeze for a moment, fear in their eyes and death in their expressions. "And goodbye," she sneers.

* * *

Vegeta hears the screams crackling through his scouter and knows that Azuki has reached her first hangar. It will take her a while to reach all of the others, so he doesn't quicken his pace, not wanting to draw attention to himself. He doesn't know how far away Frieza is, and doesn't want the tyrant to be warned in time to come back and catch them.

The sound of death emits from his scouter again, this time from Nappa's end, and Vegeta grins to himself, earning a terrified glance from a passerby. He breaks out into a sprint – no use hiding the fact that something is wrong, anymore – and tears down the hallways, veering through the maze and flying up two sets of stairs until he finally stands outside of Frieza's door.

He breaks it open with ease, entering the gigantic room for hopefully the last time, and surveys it for any sign of Zarbon. To his disappointment the man is gone, so he races over to the door leading to Frieza's room and kicks it open, searching for any trace of Bulma. She isn't there.

He growls in frustration, uplifting a golden statue of the tyrant himself and throwing it across the room. His heart thumping, he engraves into the wall with his ki, '_You shouldn't have kept me alive', _a promise for Frieza's eyes only. He leaves, satisfied, and doesn't look back at the throne room, its floors stained with his blood from many beatings.

"_And just where are _you_ going?" _Azuki's voice comes through his scouter, and he hears a scream follow her words.

"You're having too much fun, Azuki. Just get it done." He growls, impatient, every part of him on edge, waiting for sirens to wail and for the halls to flash red.

"Yeah yeah, just let me have my moment." Azuki responds from inside the second hangar, firing ki blasts at the men trying to escape and making sure none get out. She grins as a worker tries to escape into one of the ships, and charges one of her larger attacks, setting the ship on fire and trapping the man inside.

"Make sure none get out; we wouldn't want them to set the alarms," she says to Nappa and Radditz, who respond quickly and happily, all three of them taking pleasure in the destruction and death. Satisfied that her second hangar is finished, Azuki disappears back into the hallway, leaving the smoking remains behind her and eager to move on.

* * *

Bulma fingers the weapon, every part of her body quaking and tense. Zarbon should be back any minute, and each second that passes makes her fill with doubt and unease. She wants to kill Zarbon oh-so-badly, but she doesn't want to _kill_ him. She doesn't want her hands tainted with his blood and doesn't want to see his glassy eyes and she was terrified, oh so afraid, but she _had _to do this, to get it over with.

She could do this.

And if she failed; if Zarbon just slapped her knife to the side with a laugh and killed her, then what would be lost? If this was the end, she could just go see her friends and hug them and laugh with them and tell them that she tried, but she failed, and oh well because I'm here with you guys now so the Universe's problems don't concern me.

She can delude herself into hearing Goku, by her side, whispering, "You can do this. Just _in _and _out_, so easy, so simple, just an easy slip of the knife."

But Goku would never say such a thing because Goku didn't kill. Should _she_?

Bulma takes a deep breath; she can do this. This is her time. It was now or never. She had nothing to lose.

"You can do this. Just in and out. Just like breathing. _You have to do this_." Goku whispers to her, and a tear slips down her cheek, and she shakes, feeble and weak and I'm so afraid Goku I'm so scared –

The door opens.

* * *

Azuki sprints to the last hangar, and everything was blowing by so simply, so easily, that she can't help the elation and the freedom that fills her, because she is so close from being out of Frieza's grip forever, so close from being that much closer to killing him.

She storms in, not bothering with introductions this time, adrenaline pumping through her as she destroys everything in sight, laughing at the smell of fear and _she was born for this_.

One of the men escapes to a ship and puts the shields up so that her ki blasts are ineffective. _We have a smart one in the bunch_, Azuki thinks, grinning, and floats up to the entrance of the ship, calmly entering and killing the terrified worker inside, ignoring his pleas. Hmph, as if _he_ could have anything to offer her.

She casually strolls into the control room and plunges her hand into the wires, firing a ki blast and watching the machinery sizzle and fry. She smiles.

"Why so happy, Azuki?"

Her heart plummets, her blood runs cold, _she knows that voice_, but no, it can't be, they were supposed to be _gone_, she had looked for Recoome before and he had been _gone. _She turns slowly to regard the tall purple man, leaning against the doorframe of the entrance and smiling lazily. He knows, he _knows _that he can beat her and without much effort, he _knows_.

"Ginyu," she whispers, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

* * *

"_Ginyu_," his sister's voice says, and Vegeta screeches to a halt, cursing loudly and vehemently, resisting the urge to stomp his feet in rage. _No_, they were supposed to be gone! That idiot Radditz had said they were gone! Azuki had gone to _look_, to _check_, and she had said that there was no trace of them!

So what did he do? Did he go back and try to defeat Ginyu? He wasn't _ready; _he couldn't defeat Ginyu yet. The knowledge of what he had to do made Vegeta sick, but there was no way around it.

He had to continue what he was doing and condemn Azuki to her fate.

"_Don't_ go back there!" He commands to Nappa and Radditz through their connection, and they don't respond, clearly as shocked as he, but he knows that they will not object. The command was mainly at Radditz, who could be brash and emotional at times, and he didn't want the idiot ruining their plans. "Azuki, stall him for as long as possible," he hisses, ignoring the twinge of guilt that his words sound like he has a plan, and continues racing to his final destination.

* * *

Bulma attempts to plunge the knife into Zarbon's head with as much force as she possibly can, but he easily deflects it and his hand instinctively wraps around her throat. Bulma almost feels like _laughing_; it was that easy to stop her? How fucking anticlimatic.

Zarbon's yellow eyes flicker over the destroyed mirror, horror in his face, and his hand tightens around her. Bulma splutters for air, and he tosses her painfully into the shards of broken glass, his hands clenching and unclenching. "You – you _bitch."_ He spits, and Bulma smiles, her eyes fluttering closed – was this it? "I'm going to – I'll – you bitch, you fucking whore –"

"Just do it," Bulma whispers, cutting him off, calm acceptance rushing through her, and Goku smiles from beside her.

"Oh," Zarbon hisses, his once smooth and silky voice now filled with seething rage and venom, and he doesn't look as nice as she remembers; she can see an ugly demon lurking underneath the surface of his beauty. "Don't think you've gotten out of this so easily."

* * *

Azuki backs up slowly, Vegeta's words doing nothing to calm her, her mouth opening and closing at Ginyu, who grins eagerly and takes a step forward, backing her into the corner. Her eyes flicker to the now open doorway – maybe if she can use her speed to her advantage, she can get away and back to the ship and maybe they can still do this maybe she can fix this.

She moves, but he anticipates her. She has only just passed him when he instinctively grabs her tail, pulling her backwards and slamming her into the still-sizzling controls. "I always knew you monkeys couldn't be trusted," Ginyu smiles, his hand still around her tail. "If only Frieza had listened to me sooner."

Azuki's mind works in overdrive; she has to get out of this, how can she get out of this?

"He won't be pleased to hear the news. He might have to return from Namek early and pay you a visit. Once he finds his dragonballs, of course." He strokes the side of her face and Azuki just stares at him, numb with shock. "So, are you going to tell me where the others are, or am I going to have to force it out of you? Are you listening, Vegeta?" He whispers into her scouter. "Are you going to save your sister, or are you going to let her die for you?"  
Azuki fires a ki blast into his face and twists her way out of his grip, spinning so that his hand unwinds and taking off through the door. She hears him chuckle and quickens her pace to a full-out sprint, hopping out of the ship and slamming onto the floor, setting the exit in her sights. He simply phases in front of her, blocking her only way of escape. Azuki screeches to a stop, taking a few steps back, and Ginyu charges her. She manages to dodge his first two fists and block the next two kicks, but then his fist catches the side of her jaw and sends her sprawling. She pushes off of the floor with her hand and gives herself momentum to get a few feet away from him, turning and firing successive ki blasts at his form until she can't see him, smoke hiding his form from her, and takes an extra moment to charge a large one, sending it at his form with a shout.

The smoke clears, and Ginyu smiles calmly back at her, not a scratch on him. "Is that it? You're disappointing me, Azuki. Where's the usual smirk?"

She growls in anger and flies at him, phasing behind him at the last second and kicking him in the back of the head, then appearing in front and digging her knee into his gut. He grabs her knee before she can retreat and twists it, slamming his elbow into the back of her neck and making her cry out, then grabs her before she can hit the ground and throws her forcefully backwards. Azuki crashes into one of the ships before she can right herself and she instinctively throws her arms out to protect her face, the craft crumbling around her body and burying her in a heap of debris. She pulls herself from the pieces, blood dribbling down her chin, and regards Ginyu in desperation, who just stands and lazily waits for her next move.

And the very worst part is that she knows Vegeta is not coming back for her.

* * *

Bulma screams as Zarbon grabs her by the ankle and slams her frail body into the wall, growling ferociously at her, and Bulma manages to spit out, "Vegeta was a better fuck, you hideous beast."

Probably not the wisest words, she thinks, as Zarbon blinks at her in surprise for a moment, his face eventually transforming into an even deeper rage. An inhuman-like scream rips from his mouth and he grabs her leg, snapping it in half.

Bulma screams, squeezing her eyes shut as the pain sears up her leg and into the rest of her body, but Zarbon does not give her a chance to fully appreciate it, as he picks her up and slams her into the bed. "Oh yeah?" He hisses, golden eyes flashing dangerously. "So you want me to fuck you, then?"

Bulma's resolve shatters for a tiny moment, and she almost begs for him not to. Just break every damn bone in her body, just no more raping, _please._ However, before she can open her mouth, Zarbon seems to decide that she hasn't been hurt enough, and throws her back into the shards of mirror, the glass cutting her skin and decorating the floor with red. He saunters over to her and places a foot delicately onto her broken leg, before gradually pressing down harder and harder, eventually grinding his foot down into her injury.

Bulma screams, wails, her arms thrashing and waving and clawing at his legs, _please stop._ Sense returns for a moment and she grabs a shard of glass, slamming it into his leg and drawing blood. He curses and lifts his foot off of her, crouching to get a better look at his bleeding wound, back to her. Bulma takes the moment of distraction and swings wildly at him with the glass, too blinded by pain to aim.

She feels herself connect with _something_, but no flesh, and she squints up at Zarbon blearily to see what she had hit.

His long, green braid lies on the floor, severed and free. Zarbon freezes, his hand slowly reaching up into his frayed and destroyed hair, his _beautiful _hair, and Bulma knows that she is going to die, now. At least she has the satisfaction of causing some damage.

He seems calmer than expected, Bulma thinks. He just blinks a few times, hand in his hair, and then turns his eyes on her. She represses a shudder at the dead look in his eyes. And then he slowly, ever so slowly, reaches down and calmly wraps his fingers around her neck.

"You're going to die, now," he tells her.

"No," a familiar voice says from behind them, and Bulma's breath catches in her throat, an almost inhuman happiness – but at the same time rage – filling her. "You are."

* * *

Ginyu effortlessly pounds his fists into every square inch of her body he can reach, tossing her about like a rag doll. She is only able to block a few and dodge even less, and only manages to lay a hand on Ginyu once.

So what will happen to her, now? She knows that Ginyu will not kill her – right now he's just having his fun and beating the knowledge that he is the stronger into her. She will surely be tossed into a cell and Frieza will get the honor of killing her.

Ginyu pounds her into the floor and Azuki blearily tries to scramble back to her feet before he can do anything more, but Ginyu just laughs, kicking her in the side and sending her flying backwards.

"What a shame," Ginyu laughs. "I was hoping you'd be a bit more of a challenge. Perhaps Vegeta will do a better job?"

Vegeta's name sends a shock through her, reminding her of what's at stake. Azuki wouldn't exactly call herself a team player – a sick, yet normal (for her) part of herself thinks that if she's going down _someone _should go down with her – but she knows that she needs to do what is in her power to help the Prince. She wants to speak to him, but her scouter was shattered by one of Ginyu's punches long ago.

If Ginyu leaves now, he'll reach Vegeta first. Nothing in his taunts had suggested that he had gone to their hangar yet – if she gives up now, he could go back and destroy their ship, eliminating their only way out.

Azuki shakily rises to her feet and Ginyu's brow raises, his hands on his hips. Azuki takes one deep breath and then smirks – surprise flickers in Ginyu's cocky expression for a moment – and she charges, fists flying with an energy that she draws from deep within, exerting everything that she has left. She manages to get a few good hits in before Ginyu recollects his wits and begins to block her attacks, but she doesn't let up long enough for him to go back on the offense.

* * *

"Vegeta," Bulma breathes, and Zarbon drops her in surprise, leaving her in a heap on the floor as he turns to face his adversary, who stands in the doorway with fists clenched and eyes stormy.

"Vegeta," Zarbon spits, "I knew it'd only be a matter of time before you went traitor."

Vegeta grins. He knows that, somewhere in the ship, his sister is either on her last stand or defeated. Her line went silent a while back. Nappa and Radditz had already reported to him that they are on the ship, their voices antsy, so he knows that Ginyu hasn't gone there yet. How much time does he have? Minutes?

There's no time for stupid banter, then.

Vegeta charges him, but Zarbon expects it, kicking out. Vegeta ducks and rams his fist into Zarbon's abdomen, stepping back as his enemy wheezes and grinning cockily. Zarbon's look becomes slightly deranged, and he cries out, "I don't want to waste time with you! You've left me no choice, Vegeta."

Zarbon throws his arms out and Vegeta steps back in shock, wondering what he has in store, but instead of attacking Zarbon's arms and legs nearly double in size and his face completely morphs into something hideous. "I hate this form due to its appearance," Zarbon says, his voice now deep and thick, "but I was busy, and I'd like to kill you quickly."

Vegeta tries to hide his shock and silently raises his ki, lifting into the air. Zarbon's room has a high ceiling like Frieza's, and he clenches his fists, regarding Zarbon grinning cockily up at him.

Vegeta fires several ki blasts down at Zarbon, thankful that his room was in the middle of the ship so that he couldn't penetrate into space, testing this new monster's strength. The beast that is now Zarbon dodges them easily, laughing, and Bulma screams from the floor, throwing her arms protectively over her head. Zarbon follows him into the air, firing his own blast, which grazes Vegeta's head and makes him fall back, landing back onto the floor. Zarbon laughs deeply, following him, and swipes at his head. Vegeta plasters his body against the ground to dodge, and then jumps as Zarbon plants his fist into the floor that he had just been on. Zarbon follows eagerly and Vegeta grins, phasing effortlessly behind him and, with a yell, slamming his fist into the back of Zarbon's armor and shattering a piece of it, exposing Zarbon's flesh. Zarbon immediately phases back to the ground with a shocked grunt, glaring angrily up at him.

Vegeta phases in front of him but Zarbon is ready this time, and they engage in a close-combat battle, brutally beating each other to see who will back down first. They are too close to dodge successfully, so Vegeta must take a beating to his face and body, but he has the satisfaction of getting in just as many hits to Zarbon.

And then Zarbon surprises him by dropping to the ground suddenly. Vegeta falters, unused to this strategy, and Zarbon grabs a jagged piece of glass off of the floor and slams it into his leg, using Bulma's former strategy against his enemy. Vegeta roars and Zarbon takes full advantage of it, tearing into him and driving Vegeta back into the wall, then slams his fist into his throat and holds him there, palm threateningly held to his face, a ki blast charging.

"Stupid Saiyan," Zarbon says, his ugly face lifting into a grin. "Frieza will be happy to know I disposed of you once and for all."

Bulma picks herself up to her feet, hand wrapping around the piece of glass that was supposed to be her weapon before, and drags herself towards Zarbon's exposed back, eyes set on the hole in his armor that Vegeta had created. She grips the knife so tightly it hurts, and, once close enough, Vegeta's eyes flicker to her for a split second.

She grips the knife in both hands and drives it into Zarbon's back, grinding it in and twisting it hatefully. Zarbon roars in pain, his hand leaving Vegeta's neck and the fist with the charged ki blast points at Bulma, but Vegeta phases in front and plunges his fist into Zarbon's chest, his hand disappearing from view and blood spurting around it.

"No – no – " Zarbon starts to beg, desperation in his voice. Vegeta fires.

His body slams backwards into the wall and crumples to the ground, still, his yellow eyes empty in death.

Vegeta turns to Bulma, whose eyes have not left his, and he grunts, limping over to her. "How dare you?" she whispers, but Vegeta waves her words away.

"Later," he says, tired and sore. He wants _out _of here – and he has not forgotten about Azuki, but nothing can be done for her, now. "Let's go. Nappa, everything still going according to plan over there?"

"Yes, Prince," Nappa's voice says obediently back to him. "Alarms are going off, but no one has attacked that we can't handle. Shields are up, so they can't hurt the ship. No sign of Ginyu."

"Good."

Vegeta picks Bulma up and positions her on his back, much like on the ice planet, and she wraps her good leg around his waist while the other hangs limply by his side. "You cut his hair?" He asks as they pass Zarbon's dead body.

"Yes," she whispers, and he chuckles, not entirely sure how he can find humor in the situation, but knowing that that was probably the deepest wound she could have inflicted on Zarbon.

They dart down the hallways, Vegeta flying due to his injured leg, and meet no interference. He guesses that they are all in the hangar that he is headed to, trying to breach their ship that Radditz and Nappa are defending.

When he reaches the hangar, many dead bodies greet him and Radditz is standing loyally on the ramp to their ship, firing ki blasts at the warriors who still stand. Vegeta effortlessly dispatches Cui, gaining the attention of the other warriors, who all try to swarm him. He simply fires ki blast after ki blast at them, lifting to the air and soaring to the ramp by Radditz's side.

"Take off, Nappa." He says tonelessly into the scouter, ignoring the wave of guilt that washes over him. Bulma's arms squeeze around his neck almost painfully, and his scowl hardens.

"Vegeta!" Vegeta turns and sees Ginyu standing in the entrance to the hangar. Azuki is hanging limply by his side, barely conscious, and Ginyu lifts her head by her hair so that she can see him. Her face is smeared with blood, and her eyes blink up at him wearily.

Ginyu is trying to goad him into a fight. He can't take down their ship from the outside now, with the shields up, so he is trying to draw Vegeta out so that he can take him down just like Azuki.

"Take off now, Nappa." Vegeta commands coldly, emotionlessly.

"But Prince Vegeta – " Radditz starts, and he can sense the same hesitation from Nappa, who can no doubt see what is going on through the viewscreen of the control room.

"NOW!" He roars, slamming his fist into the button that pulls the ramp up, the image of a snarling Ginyu and a betrayed-looking Azuki disappearing from view. Their ship lifts and he watches through the window as Ginyu and the remaining warriors fire a few ki blasts at their retreating ship, but the shields hold strong, and they are soon blasting away, Frieza's planet-ship becoming smaller and smaller in the distance.

He sets Bulma down and she hops away to the rejuvenation tank by herself, saying nothing and not sparing him a glance. Radditz looks at him, and the deep betrayal and anger in his eyes startles Vegeta, who is used to the man's fear controlling his emotions around him. He is so startled he cannot even react in time before Radditz stalks away, slamming the door to his room shut, leaving Vegeta alone.

He has finally left Frieza's ship behind, but he has left Azuki with it.

* * *

"What." Frieza deadpans, having only just arrived at the planet with the fabled dragonballs that could, apparently, grant anyone's wish. Frieza didn't exactly believe in fairytales, but it wasn't like he was on a tight schedule, so he had decided to pay the planet a visit. He is still in his ship that he travels in (since the planet-ship can't move), orbiting the planet, and Dodoria shifts uncomfortably in front of him.

"Reports, er, came, My Lord, that Prince Vegeta and his henchmen escaped, and Zarbon is dead, but Captain Ginyu got Azuki – "

"He's…gone." Frieza says quietly, both hands folded neatly in front of him, only twitching every so often to betray his deep anger.

"Um, yes – "

Frieza kills him, ignoring the fact that Dodoria is one of his better fighters and not really caring.

He seethes, breathing deeply and heavily, hands clenching and unclenching, and screams in fury, shattering his wine glass that he had set down after first hearing the news. Frieza climbs out of his hoverchair and stalks to the front of the ship, killing any that had the misfortune of being in the halls at that moment, pure rage blinding him and dismissing any sense that he may have had before. He reaches the top of the ship and floats out, regarding the planet before him, and oh he's so angry he has to take it out on something –

He lifts a finger, his large, trusted energy sphere building in size until it is the size of the planet in front of him, pure energy and _power_, and he flings it at the planet. It sinks into Namek and he watches as it disappears from sight – then the planet explodes, rocking their ship a little and leaving empty space in front of him.

And then Frieza screams, an inhuman, horrible sound, his rage echoing out in space and promising death to all who cross him.

* * *

Azuki moans as Ginyu tosses her into one of the cells in the chambers, picking up her defeated body and crawling to the corner of the cell, humiliated. Ginyu leaves without taunting her any further, having already rubbed in the fact that her only brother had left her behind as he had been fixing the ki-restraints on her wrists. She tries not to feel the betrayal inside of her – she would have done the same thing, after all – but it is hard to ignore.

From somewhere across the galaxy, she can _feel _Frieza's rage, like a shift in the Universe.

Azuki pops her neck, moaning a bit at the pain in her body, and then freezes as she notices someone else in the cell watching her. She tenses – he must have done something really fucked up to get down here, she thinks – and prepares her weary body for another possible battle. Will he try to kill her? Surely he was a bit messed up in the head -

The figure just waves, and Azuki freezes. "Hey! They haven't given me any other company before." He says, his voice cheery.

Azuki doesn't exactly know how to react, so she just says, "Umm…hi?"

The man steps closer to her, leaning forward to look at her wounds closer, and then straightens, scratching the back of his head. He has black, flyaway hair, his body is bruised and beaten and bloody and painfully thin, and there is something faintly familiar about him, something that (strangely) reminds her of a lot of Gohan and a bit of Radditz. "What's your name?"

"Er, Azuki."

He grins widely. _Oh great, is this guy crazy? _Azuki scoots backwards, a little away from him, but he doesn't seem to notice, the perpetual smile on his face making Azuki a little weary, because they were in Frieza's fucking t_orture chambers_ that hardened soldiers had nightmares about.

"Nice to meet you, Azuki. My name's Goku."

* * *

_**END OF PART 1**_

**A/N: The first chapter of the final half will still be posted under this story. Hope you enjoyed :)  
**


	20. Chapter 19

**Part 2: Uprising**

_They will not force us_

_They will not stop degrading us_

_They will not control us_

_We will be victorious_ – Uprising, Muse

Chapter 19

The ship is silent. Radditz has locked himself in his room and hasn't come out, Vegeta has been sitting on the couch for the four hours that they've been flying, and Nappa has shut himself in the controls room. This is what greets Bulma when she finally emerges from the rejuvenation tank, leg healed, and she retreats to her room without even sparing Vegeta a glance, mindful of his eyes watching her.

Was she supposed to forgive him, now? Just because he had come for her? Was she supposed to feel bad for Azuki because she had been left behind, condemned to a fate that she can't control, just like Bulma had been? It is true that she fears for Azuki; she doesn't want the teenager to _die_, but something Saiyan-like inside of her secretly thinks that it is some sort of retribution.

She wonders if Vegeta hurts, knowing that his sister is going to die, and knowing that he left her to her fate, unable to save her, leaving her with only betrayal as her last feeling towards him. Does he care about his sister? Does he _love_ her?

Bulma shuts her eyes, rubbing her forehead, reveling in the peace that she feels without having to worry about someone entering her room to rape her.

The peace shatters as the door opens, Bulma flinching on an instinct that she had picked up in the last month, but Vegeta walks in and she immediately relaxes, sending him a hateful glare. He ignores her, shutting the door behind him, and simply stares at her.

"What?" She spits, annoyed by his silence.

"I'm waiting."

She blinks at him in surprise, realizing that he is giving her a chance to scream at him, to take out all of her hate and frustrations here and now and get it over with, but Bulma is so tired. "Can I hit you?" She asks, biting her lip at the ridiculous question, but she can't bring herself to pull in the energy that would require screaming at him.

He hesitates, then says, "Fine. Don't expect this to ever happen again."

She hops off of her bed and approaches him, saying, "Pretend it hurts; it'll make me feel better." He smirks slightly, but not convincingly, and she rears back her hand, slapping him across the cheek with all of the force her frail body can muster, and Vegeta's head whips around. Bulma bites her lip to keep herself from exclaiming; it had felt like she had just slapped a rock.

"Ouch." He deadpans sarcastically.

"Fuck you," she spits, retreating back to the bed and turning her back to him, shaking slightly. Wasn't it supposed to feel _better _than that?

She sits in silence for a few moments, waiting for him to leave, but refusing to turn and acknowledge his presence. He makes no move to exit her room, and just as she's getting ready to turn and snap something at him, he whispers so softly that she can barely hear it, "I'm sorry."

She nearly breaks down right there. She knows how much it must have taken out of him to say sorry; knows how he must have warred with himself and forced the words out of his lips, knows how much it _means. _She turns, blinking back tears, and nods at him. He stares at her, expressionless, arms limp at his sides. "Where are we going?" She finally asks, unable to form the real words that she wants to say.

"To pick up Gohan. Then…I'm not sure."

She nods her acceptance, and Vegeta moves to leave, but Bulma whispers before he is gone (she can't say she forgives him, she can't, but she has to let him know how much his words mean to her), "Azuki will escape on her own." He hesitates in the doorway, and then departs, leaving her alone.

* * *

"Goku?" Azuki repeats. Gohan's father, Radditz's brother? She almost laughs; was the Universe that damn _small_? Goku nods. "Um, I've met your son." She says to him, and his face immediately goes from pleasantly smiling to one of pure shock, and then morphing into ecstasy.

"Gohan? You've seen Gohan? How is he? Is he alright - is he hurt - is he strong - what'd you do with him - where is he - is he ok - where is he - he's not here, is he?"

"Relax," Azuki snaps, rubbing her head and willing the now-forming headache to go away. "He's fine. We dropped him off at a _nice_ planet."

"We?"

"Um, yeah, Prince Vegeta – your Prince, too."

"My Prince?" Goku scratches the back of his head in confusion, looking a lot like Radditz, and Azuki does not doubt the relation.

"Yeah, you're a Saiyan."

"A what?"

Azuki rolls her eyes exasperatedly; she wasn't exactly known for her patience. "Never mind, I'll explain it later. Just tell me how you got here." She needs to know how much she can trust him; needs to know if he is like his son.

Goku's expression changes so quickly that Azuki almost feels worried, his expression darkening and his brows furrowing together, looking more like the Saiyan that she knows he is. "Well, Frieza's men attacked my home planet." Azuki doesn't bother correcting him, not wanting him to get sidetracked, and letting him go on. "They were too strong for me, and knocked me unconscious. Next thing I knew I was on some slave planet, so I naturally tried to escape – "

"Naturally," Azuki repeats, smirking, but Goku doesn't seem to find the humor in the situation, continuing with only a short nod.

"Yeah. But I got caught, and they beat me a little bit, then said I'd better be good for my visitor. Um, it was King Cold."

"King Cold?" Azuki repeats, her blood running cold at the mere mention of Frieza's father. She had never seen the man, so had no idea what he looked like, but she had heard stories of how he ran Frieza's organization through his son, creating the terrifying image of someone even stronger than the tyrant that she was so used to. Azuki had, in all honesty, thought that someone had made him up.

"Yeah, he wanted me to be one of his top soldiers, since he had heard I was pretty strong, I guess. I refused – I just – I couldn't, I couldn't – " Goku's words begin to jumble up and he begins to stutter, and it is apparent that what happened next caused him great grief. "So he – just without warning, I didn't know he was going to do it – I would've – I don't know, done something – "

"Spit it out," Azuki snaps, not connected with this man enough to care about his pain.

"He killed Chi-Chi." Goku chokes out, shrinking into the far corner of the cell, tears in his eyes. He wraps his arms around his knees and sobs, and Azuki looks away. She didn't exactly know how to identify with him – the closest thing she had felt to deep loss was when her planet had been destroyed, and, although a great tragedy, she had been so young back then and could hardly remember it, so she cannot feel any sorrow for this stranger. She guesses that this Chi-Chi was his mate, and Gohan's mother, and actually does feel a pang of regret when looking at it that way.

"And?" She presses, wondering how he had ended up on Frieza's ship.

Goku wipes his snot away on the back of his arm, shaking his head a bit to clear his thoughts and taking a few deep breaths. "H-He brought me here and gave me to Frieza, who put me down here and said I can come out when I decide to serve him. I've been here ever since."

"How long?" Azuki whispers, fearing the answer.

"Six months."

Azuki balks. She had been down here for a _week _and had nearly lost her mind. Six months? How was he still maintaining that cheery disposition? Was it some kind of coping mechanism? Was he really broken, inside, just waiting to die, like everyone else who spent long amounts of time in the chambers?

"What all have they done to you?" She whispers, her voice having dropped considerably.

"Um, you know, a few beatings and stuff…"

"Did you go in the cage?" Azuki hisses urgently.

"That little room?" Goku looks away. "Um, yeah. Just twice, though."

The cage was a tiny cell that hung from the ceiling and was suspended in the air, barely large enough to cram a naked body into. When Azuki had been in it, she had been forced to bring her knees up to her chest and her arms had been wrapped around her torso. Once inside, the room goes dark and the cage begins to spin, turning upside-down and to the right and to the left until up was down and one was vomiting up everything in their stomach.

Azuki had been in it for a week. It was what had driven her mad.

They fed you, of course, but the spinning never stopped. They forced scraps into your mouth and splashed water in your face, but the cage never stopped picking up speed or slowing down.

After the second day, she had started seeing things.

In context, it didn't sound too bad. She had outright laughed when she saw it, thinking it looked like a stupid ride in those amusement parks that some planets had. But it messed with your _mind_; it made you get what was real and what was fake mixed up. For a full day she had thought she was on Vegeta-sei, watching Vegeta get crowned King.

Her head hurt just thinking about the cage.

But that was Frieza's only mental punishment in the chambers, and wasn't entirely considered the worst to some. Sometimes Frieza would visit a particular prisoner (which would, no doubt, happen to her) and take them to a room. No one spoke of what he did to them. His torture was different for each prisoner, designed especially for what would hurt him or her the most, be it physical or mental or downright sick.

"We have to get out of here," she whispers. "Before Frieza gets back."

It was true that Goku was Gohan's father; there was no doubting it. And she was absolutely positive that he was Radditz's brother, too. She knew he had to have _some _kind of fighting experience. She could use him to help her get out, and dump him on some planet if she grew tired of him. She surveys the cell again; just a little, cement block that had a little indention where the door was, and if they were going to get out, it would be difficult.

She was going to get out of here.

* * *

Gohan slams into the floor, and Piccolo hovers above him, scoffing. "This is it, kid? I think you've gotten _weaker_." Gohan roars and charges Piccolo again, Videl joining in, both of them attacking with speed and precision, and Gohan finally catches Piccolo with a vicious right hook, catching him off guard. Videl takes advantage of this and grasps her hands together, slamming her fists into his back. Piccolo grins.

Suddenly Gohan stops, whirling around in mid air, and Piccolo freezes as well. "What is it?" Videl asks, unable to sense ki, and Piccolo growls warningly, but Gohan grins.

"They're here! They're here!" He turns to Piccolo. "I told you they'd come!" And then Gohan barrels out of the training room, ignoring Piccolo's shouts of warning. Gohan is so excited that he doesn't notice that one ki is missing.

"They aren't going to accept us," Bulma says to Nappa in the controls room. He is currently landing the ship, Vegeta training in the GR and Radditz still sulking.

"They aren't going to have a choice," grunts Nappa, fingers dancing over the controls. Dirt begins to pick up and a few people down below on the planet watch their craft curiously.

Bulma leans back in her seat, picking at her fingernails. She finds it much easier to be more forgiving of Nappa and Radditz, as it wasn't like they could've had any choice in the matter of handing her over to Frieza. She knows they probably didn't especially care either way, but doesn't think about that too much. "You guys better be on your best behavior. No insulting anyone, no killing anyone."

"Hm, it'll be difficult," Nappa says, and Bulma feels he is probably only half-joking. "There's Gohan," he points out, motioning to a figure racing towards their descending ship. Bulma smiles fondly, eager to see the boy; probably the only person around that she can trust. Videl is hot on his heels, smile just as wide as Gohan's, and Bulma gasps when she sees a green-skinned man walking calmly behind them.

"What?"

"I – I know him. The green guy."

"The Namekian?"

"Er, yeah, I guess. His name is Piccolo."

"Hm."

Their ship finally touches down on the ground, Gohan and Videl squinting through the dust and sand picking up, and Bulma sees Gohan's expression fall for half a second, but then she must look away and follow Nappa out of the ship. Vegeta and Radditz are already standing in front of the closed ramp, and Bulma and Nappa join them silently as sunlight filters in and the ramp descends.

"Bulma!" Gohan screams, charging up the slope and throwing his arms around her middle. "I knew you guys would come back!" Bulma returns the embrace, fondly ruffling the boy's messy hair, and waves at Videl. Videl waves shyly back, choosing instead to shuffle over to Radditz and Nappa and glare pointedly up at them.

"What?" Nappa asks defensively as Videl puts her hands on her hips.

"You guys took _forever_."

"Where's Azuki?" Everyone looks at Gohan nervously, and an uncomfortable silence falls over the air. "Why isn't she with you guys?"

"She was captured as we were leaving," Vegeta says coldly, being the last to descend the ramp. There is no emotion in his voice whatsoever, as if he could care less, but Bulma sees the slight tension in his shoulders.

"But…" Gohan's face falls considerably, and he looks at Bulma for guidance. "We're going back to get her, right? You guys came here to get us, and then we're going to go rescue her, right?"

No one answers him. Bulma knows that there are no plans of returning to Frieza's ship. The tyrant could be already back, for all they know, and Ginyu was enough. If they went back, it would most likely just result in more captured or dead, and that would not help anyone.

The silence answers Gohan's question, and he takes a step back in shock. "You're just leaving her there?"

"What choice do we have?" Vegeta snaps, and it is obvious he is trying to justify his actions to everyone. Bulma almost feels a bit sorry for him. Almost.

"But – but she'll die!"

"Azuki is old enough to know how to take care of herself." Vegeta moves past them all, head high in the air, and Bulma sees that their arrival has now gained quite a bit of attention. Piccolo is in deep conversation with another blond-haired man, almost just as tall as Piccolo, and humanoid.

Vegeta stiffens when Piccolo approaches him. "You and the other Saiyans are not welcome here," he growls. "The woman can stay, but we must ask you to leave."

"Piccolo – " Gohan starts, but he is silenced by a glare.

"Oh yeah?" Vegeta sneers, baring his fangs. "And are _you_ going to make us?"

"Guys," Bulma snaps, moving forward to stand between the Namek and Saiyan, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at them each in turn. Both just glare back at her, but Vegeta turns away from Piccolo slightly with a scowl. "Piccolo, I can justify that they have turned away from Frieza. You _know _me. Gohan trusts them. I – um," Bulma couldn't honestly say that she _trusts _them, but she lies anyway, for the sake of the moment. "I trust them, too. Just, please, let us stay."

"It is not only my decision," Piccolo growls, glaring at her. She glares back. She had dealt with Frieza and Zarbon and Vegeta and she could handle _Piccolo_. "No one here will take to it. They are not trusted."

The blond-haired man steps forward, hands on his hips, entering the conversation uninvited. "My people will not accept Saiyans in their midst. These very same people destroyed most of their home planets. It would not end well."

"Was I talking to _you_?" Bulma snaps, annoyed, and she hears Vegeta snort behind her. "No. But yeah, they've done some fucked up things, but it was all because of Frieza. Don't you see? It all comes back to Frieza."

"Come on, Mr. Piccolo," Videl says, her innocent, childish voice changing the tone of the conversation abruptly, and all of them turn to stare at her, wide-eyed. She is climbing up Radditz's back, using his long hair like a rope, as Radditz scowls and swipes at her, trying to shake her off but also mindful of Piccolo and the man's eyes on him. "They're kinda fun. And you always say that you don't have anyone strong enough to train with, and they're pretty strong. Well, Prince Vegeta is," she adds with a smirk, and Radditz reaches back to grab her by the back of her tunic, tossing her on the ground with an angry glare. Videl smiles and turns to Gohan for reassurance.

"Yeah," he says uneasily, scratching at his arm. "They saved us." _Azuki saved us_.

Bulma smirks at Piccolo and the other man, hands on her hips. The man scowls, finally waving his hand dismissively. "They cannot sleep in the compound. My people simply wouldn't take to it. We will discuss this in the morning; it is getting late." Indeed the sun in the distance had set, and the man motions them forward. "My name is Stecla. I lead this section of the Resistance."

"What about Krandal?" Bulma can't help but ask; she had thought he had been a leader, at least since his father died.

"Who? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the name, but there are many factions of the Resistance, some that don't even affiliate with us. For example, this is only our second largest Headquarters."

She glances at Vegeta and he raises his eyebrows, clearly just as confused as she. She shrugs. "Nevermind." She figures that this must be the real deal, since Piccolo, Gohan, and Videl are here, and that the one that they had been captured by must have been a smaller faction.

The compound of the Resistance, here, is one huge one-story building that stretches the expanse of many miles. "It's our own little city," Stecla says, motioning to it, but he drives them by it in a little hovercar (Vegeta, Radditz, and Nappa flying behind, saying that their pride would be tainted if they rode in something so stupid). "You four will have to stay in one of the outer homes." Indeed, as they circle around the back of the building, they are a few fairly large homes scattered about. He drives them to the nearest one. "No one stays in these. They're just for precaution, in case of overflow. You can each get a house, if you want." Stecla leans in close to Bulma, speaking to her alone before the Saiyans are close enough to hear. "I'm trusting you, Ms. Briefs. Please, don't make me regret this."

"You won't," Bulma answers, confident that the Saiyans will not do anything to jeopardize the small amount of trust they have received. Stecla nods in response.

"Good. How many keys would you like?"

"Just one is fine," Bulma answers, too used to sleeping in the same area as the Saiyans to break the cycle (and there is something about them that makes her feel a bit safer; something that steers away the fear that Frieza or Zarbon will show up any second). She ignores the slightly condescending look that Stecla gives her while handing over the key, and Bulma motions over the Saiyans, who had been waiting behind them.

"See you later, Bulma," Gohan calls out as they drive away, and Bulma waves, and then drops her smile the moment that they are out of sight. She opens the door, the Saiyans waiting impatiently behind her, and enters.

The first thing they are in once entering is a spacious living room, with three couches and two armchairs and a large, at least 50 inch monitor. To the left is a kitchen, and to the right is a hallway that has five doorways. Bulma walks down the hallway when all the Saiyans make their way for the kitchen, opening up a door.

It contains several nice paintings of landscapes on the walls, and a cozy Queen sized bed with a plush armchair in the corner. There is a large desk against the wall that Bulma is facing, and some stationary and pens already left on it.

When she leaves, satisfied, she sees that the Saiyans are dragging food out of the fridge that they have never seen before, then shrugging and devouring almost everything in sight. "I guess they'll have to get us another fridge," Bulma remarks, sighing, and the Saiyans don't even stop their feast to acknowledge her. She picks up some of the pizza that they had dragged out and tosses it in the microwave, turning to watch the Saiyans.

"What now?"

"We'll decide tomorrow," Vegeta says after swallowing a particularly large bite of some cake that had been crammed in the back. "After this meeting."

That night, Bulma almost wishes that Vegeta would come, like she was used to. She doesn't want sex; she just wants him to come and sleep with her and drive away the nightmares that haunt her. It is weak of her and she is ashamed, but she cannot help the loneliness and fear that circles her. But at the same time, she hopes he stays away, because oh how she hates him but yet at the same time _craves _him.

He doesn't come, and she is somewhat relieved.

* * *

**A/N: So, please don't think that this chapter reflects on how the final half of this story is going to be. This chapter sucks, I know. It was hard for me to transition from all of the darkness and angst and action, so this chapter was especially hard to write. Please forgive me! *gets on floor and begs*  
**

**Also, the next few chapters might focus on Azuki and Goku a bit more than Bulma and Vegeta. And I hope that you're all ok with this; I'd understand a little frustration if it was just Azuki (as I hate when authors put way more attention on their OC's than the other characters) **, **but its Goku, as well. And its extremely important for the story. **

**Oh, and if the spinning box sounded like a stupid idea of torture to you, sorry. Idk, I got dizzy just thinking about it. It seemed, to me, that something like that would mess with your mind.**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: So, I would like to thank my wonderful new beta, Naiel, who kindly offered to beta my chapters when she saw that I was having a bit of trouble. Thanks!**

Chapter 20

The meeting is held in a brightly lit, large room in the middle of the compound. Bulma sits in-between Piccolo and Gohan, with Videl on Gohan's left. It is a gigantic room with a round table filling it, so that everyone can see everybody's faces and hear their words. The Saiyans weren't invited, which Vegeta hadn't taken too kindly to, but Bulma had talked him into not making a big deal about it. She certainly didn't want to get kicked out of this place, not now.

"Even if they have defected, they could bring Frieza to our very doorsteps!" One man yells, slamming his fist onto the table, and many of the people at the table shout in agreement. Bulma winces.

The meeting wasn't exactly going well.

"This isn't how we wanted to start the war!"

Bulma slams the rock she had been given upon entering the room on the table and stands; it was the way they got attention and announced that they were about to speak. "So who exactly do you plan on killing Frieza?"

Eyes focus on Piccolo, who shifts in his seat, uncomfortable with all of the attention.

"Vegeta has to be the one to do it; he _will_ be the one."

"It'll just be like one tyrant killing another; always some sort of sick cycle! We can't let a tyrant replace the other!" the same man from before shouts, his face red with his anger.**  
**

"Vegeta isn't Frieza. I know; I've been with him."

"And why should we trust you?"

"Because I'm just like you!" Bulma screams, getting fed up with the narrow-mindedness of these people. "My world was destroyed by Frieza's men, I was Frieza's own personal sex slave, and I've been through _more_ than you!"

Silence falls throughout the room, and Bulma sits down with a huff. Everyone avoids her eyes and she glares at each of them, daring them to say something. Finally, Stecla stands. "Miss Bulma, perhaps if some of our people explain what has happened to them, you will be more willing to understand their point of view."

Bulma does not respond, so Stecla nods to an older man on his left, with a long white beard that touches the floor. The man stands feebly, staring at Bulma with eyes hard as stone and she has to keep herself from breaking eye contact. "The Saiyans came into my home. I had three sons. They set them on fire, along with my wife, and forced me to watch. The Prince laughed, and the girl held my eyes open so that I couldn't look away. Just because one of them said that she was bored."

Bulma flinches, finally looking down at the floor and nodding. "I know that they've done terrible things, but – "

A woman across the table from her stands, cutting Bulma off. "I was pregnant when they came into my home. They ripped out my husband's heart and tried to force it down my throat."

And she must sit there in silence, listening to story after story of the Saiyan's misdeeds, of their cruelness, of things that make her want to vomit. Most of them highlight either Vegeta or Azuki doing something with Nappa and Radditz helping, most of the time recalling with vivid description how they had _enjoyed_ it.

"So you see, Ms. Briefs," Stecla says after no one else stands to offer their story, either having none or unable to retell it without breaking, "they cannot stay here. We do wish to start a war against the tyrant, but we would like to use our own methods to start it, none of which involve brutal violence. You can attempt to visit the Resistance's largest station, as they may be more willing, but not here."

"But – they've changed – "

"And I do not doubt your words. But no one _wants_ them here."

* * *

"We're leaving," Bulma snaps, stomping into their house and leaving Vegeta, Nappa, and Radditz staring surprised after her. They had been training in front of the house before she had walked directly in the middle of their spar.

"What?"

"They don't want us. Let's get out of here."

"But where will we go?" Radditz asks, breathing heavily. He looks to Vegeta for guidance, who has no response to give. Vegeta wasn't ready to face Frieza; hell, he couldn't even face Ginyu. There was so much more training he needed to do, so much more preparation. Also, they were going to need soldiers, and were, inevitably, going to need help from the Resistance. Frieza had far too many troops for them to have any hope of fighting him with only three (four?) Saiyans. They'd be overwhelmed, even if they were all pathetically weak, there were thousands of them. As much as he hates asking for help, he doesn't want to be shot down before he can even get a shot at Frieza.

"They said we could go to the main Headquarters of the Resistance. I can get the coordinates, if you want," Bulma says, watching Vegeta for a reaction.

"No, I have them." Vegeta responds, catching her off guard. Azuki had gotten it from the leader of the Resistance before she had killed him, and had told him. "We will leave at once."

* * *

The room that Goku and Azuki are in has no means of escape from the inside. It is simply a hollow cement block. If one didn't know that a section of one of the walls was a door, they would think that there was no way out. There are vomit and blood stains in the floors and walls, and from the corner, where Goku has established the bathroom, the smell of urine and feces permeates the air, filling the room with no way to escape into fresher air. It is dimly lit with a flourescent yellow light that casts shadows around them, making the room look bigger than it is, even though there is barely enough room for Goku and Azuki to lay down at night while still avoiding the 'shit corner' (Azuki's new nickname for it).**  
**

Azuki shudders, returning her attention to Goku. "Well? What's your power level?" Azuki asks, impatient as Goku just stares at her, the confusion evident in his face.

"Um…I don't know?"

"Are you stronger than your son?"

"Well, I used to be…I haven't seen him in a while and I haven't been training…are _you_?"

"Of course I am!" Azuki spits indignantly, insulted that he would even dare ask. "Can you do _anything_ special?"

"Um, I can sense ki." Goku offers, shrugging slightly. "I haven't met anyone else who can do that."

"Teach me," Azuki commands, sitting on the floor, cross-legged. Goku nods seriously, and sits opposite her, taking a deep, calming breath.

* * *

Screams echo up and down the hallways outside of their cell, and each time there is one Goku stops, flinching and glancing in the direction it had come. Azuki, eyes closed, senses his conflict and says, "They aren't good people, Goku," to get him to relax. The sounds of the tortured victims are distracting him, and each time he stops directing her Azuki loses what little focus she had.

"How do you know that? We're good people, and we're here."

"We're an exception to the rule." She says, cracking open an eye to peer at him and ignoring the voice in her head that whispers _he may be, but you aren't_. "That big ki…that's Ginyu, right?"

Shaking himself back to their lesson, Goku nods. "Yeah, Frieza isn't on the ship."

Azuki focuses on Goku's ki, trying to compare it to Ginyu's to get a gauge on his level. His is much lower than Ginyu's, but he is weak due to being in this cell for six months, so it is understandable.

"So how are we going to get out of here?" Goku asks curiously as Azuki extends her senses, getting a feel for all of the little ki's in the ship. She is slightly daunted by the number.

"Um…not sure yet. You said you tried attacking when they came to get you, once?"

Goku nods. "Without ki, its hard. They have these little guns that stun you, too, and then they drag you out."

Azuki nods, not entirely surprised. "We have to get out of here before Frieza returns. I have a feeling he is going to kill me." She says dryly, earning a bewildered look from Goku.

"Why?"

"Well…I was one of his soldiers, and I tried to escape. I doubt he'll take to that too well."

Goku shrugs, having already been told of the story of why Azuki was down here so that he knew if he should trust her. "Maybe he'll want to draw out the torture."

"Thanks, Goku. Real assuring," Azuki bites sarcastically.

"I'm just saying, we might have more time than you think. Do you think that that Vegeta guy is going to come back for you?"

Azuki closes her eyes again, avoiding Goku's question by searching for Recoome again, and coming up with nothing. He was with Frieza, and she had been foolish enough to only look for him when checking if the Ginyu Force was on ship. It had been a costly mistake. "No, Goku. I don't think so," she finally whispers, and Goku drops the subject, sensing her discomfort.

* * *

"Wait!" Bulma turns to see Gohan racing after them, a bag slung over his shoulder and flying behind him. Videl is hot on his heels, desperately trying to keep up. "We're coming, too!"

Vegeta turns and raises an eyebrow as Gohan screeches to a halt in front of him, giving a hasty little bow, and Videl hurries to do the same. "Of course, if that's alright?"

Bulma is shocked to see Piccolo approaching them, as well, and Vegeta tenses in response. "I'd like to come, too," the Namek says, shocking everyone present. "The people here are too timid, too hesitant to do anything. I need to break something."

"This isn't an open invitation," Vegeta sneers, clearly not liking the idea of so many people on his ship, and Bulma shifts uncomfortably. She isn't sure if she likes the idea of Piccolo on their ship, either, as he isn't exactly someone she trusts whole-heartedly.**  
**

"And you're going to need stronger allies if you hope of taking down Frieza's army _and_Frieza. Also, I'm trusted here in the Rebellion, and will make a good case to the main Headquarters that they will, no doubt, listen to." Piccolo smirks at Vegeta's scowl, knowing that he has made an excellent point.

"What do _you_ offer?" Vegeta asks Gohan, obviously trying to throw him off, who scrunches up his face in thought for a moment, then breaks out into a wide grin.

"I can teach you how to sense ki!" He shouts excitedly, hopping from one foot to the other in anticipation, knowing that he has won.

"Fine," Vegeta snaps after a bit of consideration, "but if you're coming," he points at Videl and Gohan, "I will not babysit you, and you will likely die. And if you're coming," he looks back at Piccolo, "you better be as strong as you make yourself out to be; I need a better sparring partner than these fools."

Piccolo grins, and Gohan and Videl nod excitedly, not daunted by his words. "I would love to finally beat something into the ground," Piccolo says cockily.

Vegeta smirks back, cracking his knuckles. "We'll see about that, Namek."

* * *

They receive their first beating together. Just as Goku had said, three men enter quite unexpectedly and immediately shoot them with strange-looking guns that Azuki has never seen that render their bodies useless. They simply go limp, unable to move, and the men drag their lifeless bodies to a room and chain them to a far wall. Not having control of your own body is the greatest insult, and Azuki growls at them to let them know how she feels.

"How sweet, we get to experience this together," Azuki hisses, and Goku grins half-heartedly from next to her.

And then they whip them, the torture-devices digging into their backs and cleaving the skin from bone, and neither Azuki nor Goku scream, gritting their teeth and taking it with their eyes squeezed shut. Their bodies protest, screaming in pain, and blood trickles down Azuki's chin from biting her tongue too hard. And then, roughly ten minutes later, they are done, and they toss their beaten and broken bodies back into the cells. Then they must lay there, their blood pooling around them, immobile until the effects of the gun wear off.

"It's not so bad," Goku mumbles as he slowly picks himself off of the floor, pulling himself into the corner and leaning against the wall, chest heaving. Azuki can now see the bloodstains in the floor; the ones that she had ignored before.

The pain is intense, but not unbearable. She had gone through worse. Goku is right; it isn't so bad. She can handle this. The cage, maybe not so much, but physical pain she can handle. She's a _fighter_; she has to be used to pain.

It is the first and last torture that they go through together, and Azuki finds that she liked it better having someone by her side experiencing the same thing. With each session they get longer, they get more creative, they _hurt _more. After one she must be dragged to an older-model rejuvenation tank because they had gotten a little…_hasty_.

She's always hurting, always tired, always bleeding. They come twice a day and once a night, either dragging her or Goku away. Goku says that once a week they let them go to the rejuvenation tank, but only enough to make sure that they don't die, not enough to fully heal them. Azuki can't take it, she can't stay sane here, she can't sit here and wait until they throw her in the cage or Frieza returns and destroys her.

The worst part is that Goku has gotten _used_ to it, and Azuki has no plans of feeling the same.

"We're getting out of here," she finally says the fourth day, turning to Goku with steely eyes. "We're breaking out before I lose my fucking _mind_."

Goku's eyes snap up, the grin slipping from his face, and Azuki tenses. "Frieza's coming." He mutters darkly, hands clenching together.

"Down here?" Azuki presses, panic rising to the surface, and she releases the breath that she had been holding when Goku shakes his head.

"No, he's not on the ship, yet. Extend your senses to the space around us, and you'll feel him." Azuki does as told, probing outside the ship, and the gigantic power that she feels almost knocks her flat. His ki is heading for the ship rapidly, and Azuki knows that time is limited.

"We have to hurry," Azuki hisses, shivering a little. "We'll catch the guards coming down here by surprise, since they think that we don't know when they're coming."

An hour later, Azuki feels three not-too-terrible ki's headed for their cell, and she flattens herself against the wall to the right of the door, Goku on the other side. The door opens and the first man enters.

Azuki swipes her leg underneath his knees and he buckles, and Goku immediately pounces, snatching the gun from his arms and firing at the two others that were still trying to process what was going on. Azuki pounces on the last one that had aimed for Goku, twisting the gun out of his grip and firing it on him. She looks up to see that Goku has taken care of the second guard with relative ease, and nods. "Let's go," she whispers.

The other guards that are in the hallway are taken care of with their new guns. Azuki doesn't really like the feel of it in her hand; she would much rather use her fists and ki, but there are no other options. They sprint down the hallway, ignoring the pain in their bodies that commands them to rest and the blood slowly oozing from the aggravation of their wounds, and tear up the staircase that leads to the normal levels of the ship.

The brighter hallways make Azuki stagger backwards a bit, and Goku pushes into her, screaming, "Go!" and she quickly recovers, tearing in the direction of the nearest hangar and dispatching the shocked soldiers with her gun. One lifts a similar laser in her direction and she hits the floor, momentum making her slide forward and crash into his legs, sending him toppling on top of her. His body goes limp so she tosses him off of her, sending Goku a grateful grin.**  
**

"Prisoners have escaped, prisoners have escaped, all guards to level one _now_!" A voice screams over the intercom, and Azuki curses loudly, attempting to pick up her pace. They are moving so _slow_ without ki to fuel them and now how will they make it?

"Turn around!" Goku screams, his voice panicked and near hysterical, grabbing onto the back of her torn armor and pulling her backwards, abruptly changing their direction and nearly making Azuki trip.

"What, why?" Azuki shrieks, because that was the direction of the closest hangar and now they were going the wrong way – and then she feels it.

Frieza's ki is moving towards them, much faster than they are, flashing dangerously and painfully high. Since when was he that _close_?

He has come for _her_, she knows it, she feels it.

Frieza moves so fast and they so slow, and the distance between them closes, until he is right behind them and Azuki turns (no use hiding) and Frieza stands before them. The sight of him makes her blood run cold; he looks so different, so _angry_.

Then there are more guards closing in on their other side, guns trained on them, some wielding ki blasts threateningly. Azuki, as an absolute last resort, fires at Frieza. It glances off of his skin harmlessly and then he phases behind her, digging his fingers into her neck and slamming his knee into her back, sending her to the floor painfully. She cries out as he digs his feet into her wounded back, grinding his long toes into her gashes.

The look in Frieza's eye is promising much worse than death.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for how long it took me to get this chapter out, but I hope it was worth the wait!**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: Once again, thank you to my wonderful new beta, Naiel!**

Chapter 21

"I'm sorry, Azuki," Goku says, true regret in his voice, and Azuki only shrinks more into the corner of the cell that she had pressed her body into, shaking uncontrollably. She has never been so afraid in her life, never felt so lost and helpless, never wanted Vegeta _so much_. He would know what to do, he would know how to stay strong; he wouldn't feel the hopelessness that is sinking into Azuki and making her shake.

_I'll be back for you_, Frieza had said, but not with the usual eagerness and slight teasing in his tone, but with true rage and hatred and venom. She had never been so afraid in her entire life.

She is afraid to die. She is terrified. Azuki had always thought of death with a scoff, because she was cocky and stupid and young and she had always thought that she was _immortal_. There is still a little deranged part of herself that thinks maybe, _maybe _she can get out of this.

If Frieza asked her to, she'd kill Goku to save herself, and without hesitation.

"Have you ever killed someone?" Goku asks, and she glances at him in shock. He is watching her with curiosity, and she spits,

"I was Frieza's soldier, what do you _think?"_

"Do you regret it?" he cocks his head to the side, truly wanting to know her answer, and Azuki's long nails dig into her skin as she clenches her fists painfully.

"Do I regret it? No, Goku, I don't fucking regret anything." She almost stands so that she can tower over him (he is sitting) and get a full effect, but she is too tired and hurting. "I have killed men and women and children and I have enjoyed every second of it, so if you're looking for a last minute confession that I never wanted to do any of it before I die, you're not going to get it."

His expression softens, and she sees the deep sadness in his eyes, and turns away angrily, staring at the wall instead. "Is it a Saiyan thing?" he asks.

She hesitates. "No," she finally whispers. "It's a Frieza thing."

And maybe it's slightly an Azuki thing, too, because the whispers of _crazy_ and _insane _have always followed her and no one else is as good as torturing (except Frieza) and she enjoys every second of it. She used to relish in the way bones can break (still does) and the way if you just cause the _right _pain, then people will tell you their darkest secrets, and the way a person's scream sounds when going through the worst possible agony and also _loved_ the way people thought that she wasn't all mentally there; thought that insane was a compliment.

Goku's eyes shift to the ceiling thoughtfully, and she can sense the acceptance and peace inside him (she is not jealous, no). "I wonder what I would be like. If I hadn't landed on Earth."

"If you had been with us," Azuki spits hatefully, "then you'd be exactly like us. You would enjoy killing and take great pleasure in it."

"No," he shakes his head. "I wouldn't. I would never."

"Maybe so. But you'd be dead."

Goku smiles ironically, and there is something truly sad in his expression. "Not much different than now, I guess."

She laughs dryly in response, shaking her head. "I guess not."

* * *

"Where's Vegeta?" Bulma asks as Nappa, Radditz, Piccolo, Gohan, and Videl take a seat at the table (a few chairs had had to be pulled from storage and crowded at the edges). Each of them is drenched in sweat and blood, and Vegeta's seat at the head of the table is empty.

After hearing of Vegeta and the other's torture exploits, Bulma had been a little hesitant to be around the Saiyans, and with good reason. She had been too afraid to confront Vegeta about it, so had asked Nappa, who had had the most experience of living on both Planet Vegeta and with Frieza. She had known that Nappa would have given her a more truthful answer.

_"We are a product of our environment,"_ he had said without much hesitation or shame. _"It was a release of anger and frustration. Saiyans are notoriously violent and love to fight, but not in that way."_ It was more than she would have had gotten out of Vegeta, and Bulma found herself, surprisingly, content with the answer.

It was a testiment to how much she had been through; when torture could be given a proper excuse.

"He wouldn't come out of the GR," Gohan replies, helping himself to a heaping amount of steak that Bulma had prepared and scowling at Radditz when he tries to steal some from his plate.

"But he skipped lunch!" Bulma says, hands on her hips, worried that the Prince was going to grind himself into the ground.

"He's got the gravity on so high that no one else can go in there with him," Videl says, digging into her plate and speaking through a mouthful of food. "Mister Piccolo went in for a few hours then couldn't handle it anymore." Piccolo scowls at her, but doesn't contradict her. Videl's eyes shift to Nappa, who is trying to get a bit of the cake that Bulma had made, so Videl smacks his hand with her spoon _hard_, and the Saiyan pulls back in shock.

After dinner, there is a short fight about who is going to have to share a room, as there are five rooms and six people, but Gohan and Videl end it by offering to share, and then everyone retreats to bed. Piccolo goes to Azuki's room to meditate, earning a glare from Radditz, but he then looks away and goes into his own room. Bulma waits up on the couch, waiting to see if Vegeta comes out, and at about midnight she puffs out her chest, gets off of the couch, throws the remote down, and stomps down to the training room. She pounds her fist on the door to the humming GR, yelling, "Vegeta, you can only go without sleep or food for so long!" She receives no response. "Vegeta, come on! We aren't on a time crunch, so please come out." When nothing happens, Bulma goes in for the kill. "I think you owe me this much, at the very least."

After a moment's hesitation, the GR powers down, the whirring sound fading. Vegeta slams the door open, standing before her in all of his glory, shirtless with sweat dripping down the contours of his muscles. He glares down at her, and she places both hands on her hips, sending the message that she doesn't plan on backing down. "Please, Vegeta. You won't make any progress like this."

"I have to continue my training." He growls, and Bulma steps into the GR, moving past him and earning a stupefied look.

"Please come eat, and go to bed. If you continue to work like this, your body will begin to eat up your muscles and you will _lose_ progress."

He glares at her, and she glares right back. Finally he brushes past her, unable to ignore her logic, head held high, and stalks off with as much dignity as he can muster. Bulma smirks, knowing that she has won this round, at the very least. She follows him into the kitchen, pulling out the leftovers from dinner from the fridge and sliding them into the microwave. Vegeta sits at his usual place at the table, waiting patiently, eyes following her every move.

She sets his plate calmly in front of him, and then sits next to him. Vegeta eats slowly and with dignity; much different than either Nappa or Radditz.

"Did you regret it?" Bulma whispers. "Did you ever hesitate?"

Vegeta does not stop eating, nor does he remove his eyes from his plate. There is, however, the slight stiffening of his shoulders and Bulma knows that he realizes exactly what she is talking about. How could he not? She can tell he is warring with himself; hesitating on either giving the honest answer or the one that he wants to give. Finally, with a slight sigh of defeat, he says softly, "There were...moments."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He finally looks up, eyes boring into hers and making her wince slightly. There is so much conflict, so much anger and frustration in his expression and her heart constricts slightly for him. "If I told you, would you have stayed?"

"Then why didn't you let me go?" She cries, then lowers her voice harshly, fear of waking the others. "Why didn't you tell me and set me free?"

His lip pulls back in a snarl, half-finished meal forgotten. "Because I was under a time limit and I couldn't afford to waste precious time looking for another fucking _blue_ slave and I wanted him to have _you _because I was hoping that you would give him the most trouble."

Bulma grips the table so hard that her knuckles turn white, trying not to lose control. "That was it?" She hisses, keeping her voice low and filled with venom. "So why did you fuck me? Why did you do any of it? Were you using me? An easy fuck? Was any of it _real_?"

He stands so suddenly that his chair topples backwards, and he makes his way over to her in two long strides, grabbing her wrist in a painfully tight grip. She flinches, afraid he is going to hit her, but instead he presses his hand to the back of her head and forces her into a rough kiss.

Bulma can't think right – should she kiss him back? Wouldn't that be giving him exactly what he wanted? Is she supposed to still be angry? Was this as much of a confession that it wasn't just sex that she was going to get? If she kisses him back would that make her weak?

And then his hand slips up her thigh, and any resolve that she had is lost.

"He's kissing her now," Videl says so softly that Gohan can barely hear her, even with his advanced hearing. He tries to climb over her, pushing her head down so that he can get a peek.

"_Move_, Videl – " He groans, trying desperately to get a peek at the almighty Prince of all Saiyans kissing Bulma, just like his mom and dad had used to do. It seemed like something so normal, and he was desperate to see if Vegeta did it with the same tenderness that his father had, because it seems impossible.

"Now they're going into Bulma's room – aaaand, now they're gone."

Gohan huffs angrily, retreating from the door and climbing onto the bed, folding his arms over his chest to show his agitation. Videl just smiles innocently at him, hopping onto the bed and sliding under the covers.

"Oh, don't be so grumpy," she says. "Like you even wanted to see that bad."

"It's _Vegeta_," Gohan mumbles, turning so that his back faces her. "Of course I wanted to see. That's not something that you get to see every day, you know?"

Videl's arms wrap around his back, pulling him against her body and pressing her face into his back, giggling softly. It is something that they had done back in the slave factory on the especially cold nights, but he knows that, somehow, this is different. "I never thought a boy would be so interested in seeing two people kiss," she says, her voice slightly teasing, and Gohan scowls. For a long while there is silence, and Gohan thinks that she has fallen asleep. He always has trouble falling asleep, because his sleep is riddled with nightmares about his father and that day on Earth and screams that reverberate in his head of people who he couldn't save.

"Gohan?" Videl whispers, startling him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you…are you afraid?"

"Of what?" He asks, confused, and turns so that he can look at her. She blinks at him in the dark.

"This whole…this whole Frieza thing. I mean, if someone like Azuki could die, what about us?"

"She's not dead," he says harshly, glaring at her even though he knows that she can't see him. "Radditz said that she's gotten out of crazier situations."

"But –"

"Just stop, Videl. Please."

"I'm just _scared_, Gohan," she whispers, eyes wide in the dark. "I'm scared about what's going to happen to us."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Videl. I promise."

* * *

He comes for her in the middle of the night, with both Recoome and Ginyu in tow. They follow silently as he drags her from the room, kicking and screaming. When Goku groggily tries to attack, Ginyu strikes him in the face and follows after Frieza, smirking wickedly, while Recoome's face is completely slack, lacking any emotion.

Frieza takes her to a room with one dim light. It is empty and small, with peeling, yellow walls and one metal table in the center. Recoome shuts the door behind them and both him and Ginyu stand on either side of it, hands behind their back, waiting for it to start.

He knows that she fears humiliation so is making a show of her torture.

"You will tell me where Vegeta is," Frieza says slowly, annunciating each word clearly and carefully. "And I will make your death quick. Or, you will withhold this information, and I will use every means that I know of to extract it from you, and you will eventually tell me. And then I will kill you. Your choice." He smiles.

Azuki laughs, loud and outright, ignoring the terrified feeling inside of her and trying to put on a brave face, because that's what Vegeta would do, right? "Looks like it's the torture for me," she says, grinning falsely, "because I have no fucking idea where he is." And it is true. He might have dropped by that planet that they let Gohan go at, but he'd be long gone by now.

Frieza's expression darkens, his brow pulling together and his lip curling back in a horrible snarl that makes Azuki's heart skip a beat. He grabs a handful of her hair and slams her head down into the metal table so hard that she swears he probably just cracked her skull, and then tosses her to the floor. "Then we shall do it the hard way," he hisses.

Recoome winces as Frieza fires a ki blast into Azuki's kneecap, shattering it completely and making her wail and writhe on the floor in pain. He presses his foot into her knee and grinds it into the floor, laughing delightedly at her pain, and tears spring into his friend's eyes. He must force himself to continue watching, for if he were to look away Ginyu would notice. Recoome fidgets, uncomfortable, and wanting nothing more than to run to his room and get into his bed and ignore that this is happening.

Frieza twists her arm behind her back and breaks it with one hit, and Azuki's screams intensify, her eyes squeezed shut. He proceeds to break her other arm and both of her legs, then begins beating her ruthlessly, tossing her around the room and slamming her head into the wall. From next to Recoome, Ginyu smiles. Recoome wants to throw up, and he shifts to his other foot, holding back a whine.

"You will never be strong, Azuki," Frieza hisses, digging his claws into Azuki's cheek and raking them down her face, creating four gouges that spout blood. "You are nothing more than a weak little girl who has a little knack for causing pain. Well _I do too_, except I have the power to back it up." Frieza twists her limp, broken arm at a horrible angle, and then licks her face, his purple tongue swiping over her blood. Frieza licks his lips greedily. Azuki whimpers, and Recoome's insides twist. "You are a delicious little thing, you know?" He drops her on the floor and strokes her face. Recoome can hardly see her features through the blood, but he can see her face contort and he can see the tears. "Vegeta hates you, dear. Do you feel betrayed? Anguished?" Azuki's face fills with pain. "He chose the slave girl over _you_. He left you behind to rot and die, and is not coming back. He and the slave are probably fucking right now, his mind the farthest away from worrying about _you. _He doesn't care about you; not like I do, pretty. Just tell me where he is, and I will let you watch me kill him." Azuki shakes her head, tears streaming down her face.

"You remind me of me." Frieza continues, getting on top of her and straddling her, running his fingers through her tail. A shiver runs up Azuki's spine. "You are fucked up in the mind, dear. You have a few screws loose. It takes a certain level of evil to do things that you have done." Frieza kisses the tip of her tail lovingly, making Azuki moan. "And I like that. I always liked you. But then you had to go and mess up, precious." Frieza's eyes harden, but his disgusting smile does not falter. Recoome begins to, ever so slightly, rock on his heels. "Why did you try to escape? Have I not been kind to you? I've kept you alive, fed you…what did I do wrong, my sweet?" When Azuki does not answer, Frieza laughs softly, continuing to stroke her tail. "We are the same, so why do you resist? You are exactly like me. You are the torturer, are you not? You know what makes people _scream_. Your other Saiyans are not like this. Vegeta cannot extract information like you. It is not a Saiyan trait. A Saiyan trait is to kill, to conquer, but not to unhinge. Unlike your brother, you know what to say to manipulate. You are sadistic, and sometimes, you react more viciously than others because you are _insane._ Vegeta likes causing pain because he hates his enemies, but you like causing pain because you think it is beautiful. Your greatest fear is not to lose a battle, but to lose control. We are the same, precious. I know you, because you are _me_." Recoome knows, he knows that Frieza is playing mind tricks because he has seen it before, and when he sees the despair and realization flicker in Azuki's face, he wants to scream out, _no_. "And that is why you hate me so much. Vegeta and the other two hate me because I control them and take away their freedom and hurt their pride, but you hate me because you are jealous."

And then Frieza's grip tightens, and he breaks her tail.

Azuki's scream is so loud and heart-wrenchingly _inhuman_ that Recoome cannot help but flinch. And then Azuki falls limp, thankfully passing out and sparing her any more pain, Recoome hopes. His teeth are grinding together painfully, but he does not notice, instead feeling like everything around him is falling apart.

"Oh no," Frieza coos, and Recoome's heart plummets, "you don't get to sleep until you tell me what I'd like to know." He fists his hand in her hair and then slams her head into the floor, making Azuki moan and her eyes flutter. Frieza nods to Ginyu, who steps outside, leaving Recoome alone. And then, after a few moments of tense silence where Frieza only strokes Azuki's blood and tear-stained cheek, a high-pitched noise echoes in the room.

To Recoome, it is just a noise. It is annoying and he winces slightly when the shrieking first starts, but he must wonder the purpose for it. It's just a sound, after all.

But then Azuki's back arches and her mouth opens and closes silently, her eyes squeezed shut. And Recoome understands, because Azuki could always hear when he mumbled things to himself and she could always know when someone was entering the room because she could hear the door when he could not. He knows that she wants nothing more than to slap her hands against her ears, but her arms are broken, rendering them useless.

Unintelligible noises come from Azuki's lips, as if she is trying to form words but is unable, and Recoome shuts his eyes briefly when he sees blood begin to ooze from her ears. And then it stops, and Azuki wails, her voice back.

"I think that is enough for today," Frieza says, standing and grinning contentedly. "Know that you will not be getting any sleep until you tell me what I'd like to know. I will be busy tomorrow, so I think the cage will do just fine. Recoome, please take her back to the cell, would you?"

Recoome bows as Frieza brushes past him and out the hall. He walks over to Azuki, now alone, and picks her up as daintily as he possibly can. "Recoome is so sorry, Azuki," he whispers, a sorrow that he is unused to filling him. "Recoome wishes that he could help." She does not respond and he has no idea if she can even hear him. Her eyelids are half-open, and her mouth is opening and closing repeatedly. "You are not like him, Azuki." Recoome whispers, even though he has seen the products of Azuki's own torture sessions and they have looked much the same as she does, now. Why does this seem so much different?

He walks her to the cell and a guard opens it for him, keeping a gun trained on Azuki's cellmate that Recoome does not know, and he places her body tenderly on the ground before leaving as quickly as he can.

For the first few moments, Goku can do nothing but stare at her in shock. And then, ever so slowly, he crawls to her side and whispers, "Azuki?" She moans in response, and, as gently as he can, he presses two fingers to her face. "I'm so sorry."

Throughout the night, every time Azuki's eyes begin to drift closed, a loud, barking sound echoes in their cell, jerking her awake and permitting the sleep that her body so desperately craves. Goku winces when it happens for the fifth time, and, much to his sadness, Azuki's body begins to wrack with sobs.

He gently pulls her into his lap, then, avoiding her injuries, and rocking her back and forth and tracing the lines in her palm soothingly as he had done Gohan when he was young and they were on Earth and Chi-Chi was there and things were perfect.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, I changed the rating to M. I think we reached that point a while back, haha. Hope you liked it!**


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: Once again, thanks to my wonderful wonderful wonderful beta Naiel, who I hope is feeling better now :D**

Chapter 22

They rip her away from Goku the next morning and the only thing he can do is scramble desperately to get her back, but it is useless. They slam the solid door shut in his face and it echoes throughout the room with a sense of finality. Something inside Goku wails. He is too kind hearted, too loving to watch this go on without having something inside of him break. How can people be so cruel? Did they not understand that what they were doing was _wrong?_

He doesn't get it.

When she is gone, the barking sound does not return. He is granted sleep, and is thankful.

Azuki is returned to him two days later (there is much pacing in those two days, and his routine torture sessions are more excruciating than normal because he finds it hard to meditate during them as he normally does; he often wonders if she is dead) and it is obvious that she has been to the tank, because her broken bones are healed.

There is something wrong, though.

They throw her into the cell and she just lies there, still, for a moment, but Goku can see that she is conscious. He is too worried to speak, and, ever so slowly, Azuki finally pushes herself up to a sitting position. She looks at him, then, a horrible darkness and craze in her eyes that makes Goku shift uncomfortably.

"What?" she snaps, obviously uncomfortable with his eyes on her.

"I was worried about you," Goku says softly, and for some reason, he feels that he must treat her with extra care, like a china plate, so that it does not shatter.

She laughs. He has heard her laugh harshly and ironically before, but this is different. There is something on edge about it; something that suggests that she doesn't even know why she is laughing, and Goku cringes. "That's funny," she wipes tears from her eyes, slapping her open palm against the wall repeatedly. "Real funny. Fucking irony, you know?"

"Where'd they take you?" Goku asks slowly, not acknowledging her previous words.

"The cage. Good time." She smiles brightly, eyes glinting. Azuki laughs again. "Get it? Because the cage isn't fun at all?"

Goku has seen people in this place go insane before.

He has never had to worry about the problem, himself, because during his beatings he is able to withdraw to a place deep inside of himself, and he remembers Chi Chi and Gohan and Krillin and Master Roshi and all of his other friends, and thinks of their times on Earth together instead of the present. He is able to find a different place, to eradicate his mind of the tortured thoughts.

Azuki continues, apparently not noticing the terrified look in Goku's eyes. "Frieza's coming to get me in a few hours. Said we'd have fun." And then she blinks up at Goku, and her eyes clear, and Goku's expression does not change. "I don't want to go." She whispers, finally ceasing her beating of the wall and wrapping her arms around herself, diminishing in size. "I think I'd rather die. And that's saying a lot, coming from me. Death scares me. It's so…unknown."

Goku nods, still frightened that if he says the wrong thing he will set her off.

She shrugs, then, stretching out her body (she looks so much more frail, so much thinner, than when she first came to him) and leaning against the wall nearest the door. She smirks up at him, and only then does Goku finally relax. "'Geta'd have a fit if he saw us here."

Goku does not ask why, and Azuki begins to drift to sleep, her eyes fluttering closed.

The barking sound echoes throughout their cell, making both of them jump, and Azuki's eyes flash with something dangerous and she jumps to her feet, screaming. Goku flinches.

As promised, Frieza shows up two hours later. The tyrant has no interest in Goku and does not even bother sparing the other Saiyan a glance, as Azuki is the one that knows where Vegeta is and Azuki is his soldier that tried to defect.

He, Recoome, Ginyu, and Burter (oh how she hates Burter, because she is faster than him oh she knows she is but he would never race her) take her to the same room as before, tossing her inside. She doesn't bother getting to her feet, and Frieza begins without words, this time, breaking her bones and shattering her strength. Azuki screams relentlessly, not even attempting to hold them in to remain strong, and Frieza seems to feed off of her pain. He beats her so horribly that he must throw her into a rejuvenation tank, and then he pulls her out an hour later, repeating the process.

She goes in and out of the tank four times.

"Are you ready to speak?" Frieza asks her after she has come out for the final time, whimpering and crying, her mind slipping and reality fading.

She has no idea what he wants to know, because all she knows about are pain and anguish.

When she does not respond, something in Frieza snaps. He yells in outrage, and the room seems to shake, and then he grabs her and slams her on the ground and rips off her tattered armor.

"No!" Azuki shrieks, struggling and kicking and screaming desperately. She makes a lunge for Recoome, who just stands, utterly still, in complete shock. "Please, _please_!"

"Tell me and I wont do it, precious!"

"I don't know!" Azuki screams, because she truly doesn't know what he wants to know, she really has no idea, if he just told her she'd tell him anything.

Her response is not what he wants to hear.

So he rapes her, in front of Ginyu and Recoome and Burter, making a show of it and laughing at her screams and pain and humiliation. He kisses her mouth and pretends to love her and Azuki screams, struggling furiously, crying, something inside of her breaking with the realization that she has no control over her fate.

Azuki's flailing arms finally connect with Frieza's face and she successfully knocks him off of her. Some kind of animalistic instinct inside of her screams when she sees him knocked down and her body commands her to pounce, not registering the fact that he was so much stronger than her. Azuki jumps on him, clawing and biting and hitting with no manner of strategy or thought; just attempting to cause pain. Frieza throws her off of him easily and her body bounces off the far wall. He seethes, angry with her for trying to cause pain, a ki ball shining brilliantly in his hand, and Azuki cringes.

"Wait, Lord Frieza!"

Frieza turns slowly to Recoome, ki ball still shining threateningly and humming with raw power. Recoome gulps, glancing at Ginyu, who is glaring angrily at him.

"You must keep her alive," he says. "So you can find out where Vegeta is."

After a moment, Frieza closes his fist, extinguishing the ki ball that had been meant to end Azuki's life. He crouches in front of Azuki, who shrinks back, looking away. "My men have been feeding you an addictive, tasteless drug," Frieza says calmly, coldly, and he sees the realization flicker in her eyes and smiles. She has seen how this goes. "And now I will tell them to take you off of it. And you will slowly go into withdrawal, and you will crave it, and you will want it so badly that you will do anything to get it. And I will not give it back to you until you tell me where Vegeta is."

Vegeta? She does not know why he would think she knows where Vegeta is, because she has not seen him in years.

* * *

It's like the warmth leaves her body. It's like being in front of a fire but being ice cold, and you reach for a blanket, and you drape it over yourself but it provides no warmth, and yet she sweats terribly, her body slick at all times. She shivers constantly, yearning for something that she cannot name.

She's never been so tired in her life. She longs to sleep, to drift off into nothingness and wake up, rejuvenated and maybe without this withdrawal that Frieza has cast her body into.

"Azuki, you need to stop doing that," Goku commands wearily, the sentence losing some of its meaning from how many times he had said it, and Azuki claws at the skin on her arms harder just to spite him.

"Shut up, I don't need your help!" she spits childishly, the blood that she is drawing dripping down her arms and underneath her long, untrimmed fingernails. Goku does not respond, used to the snappy response, and Azuki twitches ever-so-slightly.

She laughs, and Goku winces at the sound. Something inside of him growls warningly, knowing that she would attack him if something in her half-gone mind told her to. She begins to claw at the wall next to her instead, her hands shaking, and laughs again.

Goku knows what's coming next.

She then begins to sob, tears wracking her body and professing her apologies to Goku for snapping. She withdraws into herself, crying, tears temporarily stopping the maiming of her arm and the wall.

Goku knows what he should do, but he does not want to think of it.

The withdrawal from the drug that she had told him about probably wouldn't have had such an effect if it had not been topped with Frieza's beatings, trips to the cage, and the lack of sleep. She would probably be fine if it was the only thing. But she's not.

There is a part of him (he wants to call it Saiyan, but it is not Saiyan, it is the humane part of him) that knows it would almost be a blessing to kill her.

He could do it. He could twist her neck. He could put her out of her misery, and in the process, gain sleep again (he only gets to sleep when she goes to the cage). Her mind is leaving her; she has moments of lucidness but then slips into the ugliness again. The moments when she is sane are becoming fewer and farer between.

She told him she was afraid of death, but he can't help but wonder if she would not prefer it.

In the short time that he has known her, he has gathered that she holds herself with much pride. He knows her (but he really doesn't, he truly doesn't) and he knows that she would not want this.

It would be a kindness, not an act of cruelty.

He should do it. He needs to do it. Goku's fingers itch just at the prospect of getting to unleash some of his pain on someone else.

He cannot do it.

* * *

Vegeta's dark eyes watch Bulma as she pulls her shirt back on over her head, and his brows furrow as she turns and gives him a scrutinizing look. "I don't understand you," she finally whispers, grabbing her shorts up off of the floor and pulling them on with more force than necessary.

"Good," Vegeta responds, smirking, but Bulma does not return it, and he huffs in annoyance when she turns her back to him, again.

"I don't know how to forgive you."

Vegeta does not respond for a moment, frustrated, then says, "I thought –"

Bulma buries her face in her hands and cuts him off, voice muffled. "Every time I look at you, I see Frieza." Vegeta stiffens, thoroughly insulted, and nearly yells at her for saying such a thing, but she continues and he lets her. "I see his red eyes as he raped me and I see the way he licked his lips and I – I see Zarbon and the way he teased and touched me – "

Vegeta presses his body against her back, nibbling on her shoulder softly and trying to get her to stop talking. Does she not realize how much he regrets it? How much he wishes he could take it back? If she longs for a verbal admission of his guilt, he cannot give it. It is far more than he deems necessary.

She does not respond to him, only standing so that she gets away, and he watches as she begins to pace across the room, waiting for her tirade to blow over. "I need something from you, Vegeta."

"Sex?" he offers, and smirks devilishly when she turns to glare at him.

"No. I don't want to have to tell you what it is, either."

He knows exactly what she wants. He knows that she wants words. Vegeta has never been good with words; he had always left the talking to Azuki. He does not want to say anything to her. His pride does not allow it. So, he simply watches her glare at him expectantly, her bare foot tapping on the carpet, the anger and pain in her eyes overshadowing something much deeper, like a scar that will never vanish.

"I cannot forgive you unless you make me," she whispers.

Vegeta's fists clench. He doesn't _want _to say what she wants him to say. He doesn't want to admit how much it had pained him.

But it is the least he owes her; she has been to hell and to top it all off he was the one that sent her there.

"Fine," he hisses, showing in his tone how much he hates having to do this, fists clenching. "I did not _want _to give you to Frieza. But I also did not want to serve Frieza, and I also did not want to leave Azuki behind."

He pauses, so Bulma says, "Not good enough," and folds her arms across her chest.

Vegeta's teeth grind together, but he continues. "I do…regret what happened. When I watched him take you, I felt…upset. I told myself that I could let it go, but I could not. I came back for you. I left Azuki behind and took you. If I had not searched for you, perhaps Azuki and I could have teamed up on Ginyu, and we might have won, and Azuki would be alive but you would still be with Frieza. I chose you. Is that not enough?"

Bulma's expression softens from seeing the deep regret in his eyes, and she moves towards him, running her hand through his hair and stroking his knee. He scowls at her but does not push her away. "You should have let me go," she whispers, her blue eyes watching him unblinkingly. Bulma does not know if she can ever forgive him fully, or ever forget what he did, but she senses the truth in his words and appreciates how much it took him to say it.

"I will be sure to do that next time." He says without hesitation, and Bulma smiles, kissing his lips softly.

"How about we make sure there isn't a next time?" She asks, and Vegeta smirks.

"Fine."

* * *

_"Azuki_," someone says, and Azuki snaps to attention, looking into the eyes of her dead father. He stands before her, towering over her as he always did, his cape blowing behind him in a nonexistent breeze, looking just as powerful as she remembered him. From the corner of the cell Goku watches her wearily, but she cannot see him, now.

_"_Father?" she probes, shocked and relieved and oh how she has missed him. She does not lunge for him though; does not reach out and touch him because that is not the Saiyan way.

"_You have disgraced me, child_." King Vegeta says, his voice as cold and gruff as she remembers, frowning from underneath his beard sternly. Had he always looked so much like her brother? She wonders if she, too, looks like him, or does she look like the mother that she never knew? Her father's words stab her painfully; they are the same words that were the last he said to her on Planet Vegeta. She had been sparring with a younger boy who was the son of one of the King's advisors, and something had happened - she still does not remember what - something had snapped and she had killed him in the heat of the spar; her first cold-blooded kill of a person and not the last.

_You do not kill your allies_, he had said.

"I do not know what I have done to make you say such things, Father," she begs, trying to crawl towards him, but he steps back, looking down at her like she was dirt on his boots; it was the exact same look he had given her after catching her breaking the legs of a helpless animal and laughing at its pain.

_Azuki_, he had said, reaching forward and snapping the creature's neck, _torture is not dignified._

Vegeta had always been his favorite, and, when she was young, she had tried to ignore it, but now she cannot when it is staring at her so blatantly in the face.

Goku shrinks back, pity in his features, but Azuki does not see him.

"_You have given up."_

"No, Father, there is nothing I can do. He is too powerful," Azuki cries, once again trying to touch him, to tell him that she would never give up because he had taught her better than that (no, he had taught Vegeta, he had never taught her anything, because he had looked at her and hated her).

"_You have allowed him to affect your mind; the one thing he should not be able to take from you."_

"But I'm just like him, Father, I'm just like him." Azuki cries, and the tears are coming (she has never cried so much in her life) but she holds them back for the sake of her father. "That's why you always hated me; I see it now."

There is a calm acceptance in his eyes, and Azuki knows that it is true. She finally understands. But her father says, _"You are a Saiyan, and you are nothing like him. You are a Saiyan, and you hold an entire race on your shoulders. You are a Saiyan, and you are my daughter."_

Azuki smiles. It is the first signs of affection her father had ever shown her, and she is grateful that she gets it and not her brother.

"_You mustn't lose sight of that, Azuki. Do not forget where you came from. He is trying to mold you into his soldier, again, trying to start from scratch and create a new you. Do not let him."_

"No, Father, I won't."

"_Do not let him conquer you."_

And then her father vanishes completely, leaving her behind in the empty cell with nothing. She finally catches sight of Goku, who is staring at her as if she has finally gone over the edge.

"I'm so sorry, Goku," Azuki whispers, choking on her anguish. "I'm so sorry."

Before he can ask her why she is sorry and assure her that he forgives her, the door to their cell opens, the telltale squeak making Azuki flinch. Azuki's back is to the intruder and she does not bother turning, waiting to be picked up and dragged away, or waiting to watch Goku be taken to be whipped. But Goku can see that the man that has come for them is alone, and it is the one with the wild crop of red hair.

"Azuki," he says with a lopsided grin, and Azuki scrambles to turn around and stare at him, wide-eyed. "Recoome has come to save you."

* * *

**A/N: So before you guys start asking why Azuki has gone a bit crazy, I just want to clarify something. Azuki has NEVER been right in the head. I've tried to make it obvious, and I'm hoping that most of you noticed. Frieza just sent her farther into the insanity because he is the same way, so he knows how to bring it out. Anywho, I hope you liked the chapter! Sorry about the cliffhanger. Tell me what you think!  
**


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Vegeta feels Bulma's feeble ki pulsing from the kitchen, and raises an eyebrow at the unfamiliar feeling of being able to sense everyone on their ship in the back of his mind. It is a strange, unfamiliar sensation, but not altogether a bad one. He closes his eyes and tries to stretch his senses to Azuki, but comes up with nothing, and scowls. He wishes that he could only know if she is alive or not. He assumes that Frieza has killed her by now, but perhaps he is keeping her alive in hope of getting information? His eyebrows furrow together as he wonders if there is the possibility of him ascending in time to save her.

Vegeta shakes his head, ridding himself of such pointless thoughts.

"This is the stupidest shit we've ever tried," Nappa complains from farther down their makeshift line. They are all sitting, cross-legged, in the training chamber, right outside of the Gravity Room, where Piccolo was currently training (he had already mastered ki sensing, fueling Vegeta's desire to learn it as quickly as possible). Gohan was facing them, trying to teach them how to sense ki, and glares at Nappa.

Gohan had done a fine job of explaining the complicated process of sensing ki (not that Vegeta would ever say that to the boy) seeing as, as Gohan had said, it was like describing sight to the blind. Vegeta was starting to get the hang of it, but the idiots sitting around him were, apparently, idiots.

Videl turns a disapproving eye on Nappa and spits, "Mr. Piccolo learned it in only an hour."

Nappa glares heatedly at her, then turns away and screws his eyes closed in concentration. From beside him, Radditz rolls his eyes, also not getting anywhere and thinking that it was pointless, anyway.

Vegeta keeps his senses pinned on Bulma's ki as it slowly approaches them, descending the stairway to the training chambers. "Bulma's coming," he says cockily, smirking when Nappa and Radditz turn to him in shock just as Bulma comes into view, a plate of sandwiches in her hand. Videl bounces to her feet, hurrying over to grab one of the many sandwiches before the Saiyans get their hands on them.

Vegeta rises to his feet and approaches her, a slight arrogant sway in his movement, and grabs the plate from Bulma's hands. "You two can eat when you master the skill," he says with an evil grin, gesturing to Nappa and Radditz.

They know better than to argue, so take out their frustrations on Gohan instead, shouting at him to teach them better. Bulma shakes her head and laughs softly. "So I'm guessing you mastered it already?" She asks Vegeta, reaching forward to snatch a sandwich from the plate, recieving a scowl.

"Of course," Vegeta responds, watching Gohan shout orders at the two Saiyans in frustration.

"Wouldn't expect any less," Bulma teases, running a hand along Vegeta's spine and laughing when Videl shoves Nappa with a disgusted look on her face after he had (probably) said something dirty. Radditz guffaws, and, in response, Videl turns and flicks his nose. The giant, longhaired Saiyan holds an affronted hand to his nose, more out of shock rather than pain. Gohan smiles.

"They're adorable," she says as Gohan tackles Radditz (she wasn't sure what he had said to deserve it, but she was sure it had been something rather rude towards Videl) and Videl hopes on top with a shout of 'Dog pile!' Nappa watches them in disgust as Radditz shoves Gohan off of him and sends Videl toppling on top of the half-Saiyan.

"Hn. They are much too relaxed." Vegeta says, shoving his fourth sandwich into his mouth.

"They need to be. They deserve a little fun. They're just kids." Bulma says, rubbing Vegeta's tense shoulders in an almost nonchalant way, and he groans almost inaudibly in response. Bulma smiles.

"Children don't belong here," Vegeta responds, almost more to himself, and Bulma presses her forehead to his back, sensing his tension.

"Do they remind you of you?" Bulma asks, moving her hands down his back and to his waistline, pressing down on the skin around his tail. He leans into her touch.

"No." He responds. "They are much too innocent."

"Azuki, then?" Bulma knows that bringing his sister up isn't probably the best of ideas, but the faraway look in his eyes makes her curious.

Vegeta's expression darkens, and for a moment, Bulma thinks he will ignore her. But, finally, he says, "As a child, Azuki was more sadistic than she is now."

* * *

"Where is it?" Bulma asks, staring out into the dark blackness before them and through the video screen, Vegeta beside her. "Is it not supposed to be right here?"

"It's probably cloaked, somehow," Vegeta says, his eyes darting to and fro, trying to catch sight of some sign of life.

"They'll come to us," Piccolo says stoically, arms crossed over his chest. "They know that a ship hovering out right in front of their planet cannot be a coincidence."

"We're in one of Frieza's ships, though, are we not?" Bulma reminds them.

Vegeta nods. "Don't expect a warm welcome."

Sure enough, after a few moments of tense silence, something in the space before them shimmers, like a piece of metal catching some kind of light. A second later, a huge ship flickers into view before them, dropping whatever cloaking it had held before. The ship is at least three times as large as theirs and seems to be of higher design, too. Something like a long, extended claw shoots from the front of the ship, snapping into their hull, making the ship rock violently. Nappa curses as he tries to steady himself, and Videl almost falls, but Gohan catches her. Bulma nearly slams into the controls, but Vegeta steadies her with his arm. Bulma's knuckles are white, clutching her seat so tightly that it hurts, hoping that they wont kill them straight off.

The ship pulls them with it, moving back into the dark expanse of space that it had come from. Suddenly, the ship blinks out of existence, but the claw is still pulling them forward, inch by inch of it vanishing with the previous ship. The moment they reach the place where the ship had vanished, everything becomes clear.

They can see the planet, then. It is completely green and about the size of Earth's moon. There is a large, silver facility that they are close enough to spot, surrounded on three sides by thick forest and one by desert (Bulma can't even begin to fathom how the two completely opposite environments are able to exist so closely to one another) and the ship pulls them closer to it until they can make out details.

There are huge, silver towers and buildings and cars darting around the massive city on silver streets. It is about the size of one of Earth's metropolises, and surrounding it is, indeed, dense, green forest that seems not even penetrable. To the north there is a dry, dusty brown desert that seems to stretch on for miles. The people scurrying through the city seem frantic, racing to and fro, but most of them find time to stare at their ship in slight curiosity, before returning to their business, most carrying bundles of papers that they frantically grab onto when the arrival of their ships creates a gust of wind. Bulma can see no children, and knows that this is a place of business. The ship in front of them touches down on a strip on the outskirts of the city, and Nappa, still in control of their ship (a show of trust that is promising) lands behind it gently.

Bulma unbuckles and begins to get up to exit, but Vegeta commands, "Wait," staring out of the viewscreen at the ship in front of them and waiting for someone to come out.

"It won't make them trust us any more if we do not exit immediately," Bulma argues.

"I want to see how weary they are of us, already."

The ramp of the massive ship in front of them lowers, and out walks three men dressed in white, prim suits, with their hands clasped behind their backs. One is humanoid, with dark brown hair and a beard, and the other is pink-skinned with ridiculously long, skinny arms and legs, while the last is the complete opposite; short, stocky, and the color of coal. They look to their ship with eager, expecting eyes, and Vegeta nods. "Let's go."

Their ragtag group exits together, hastily clumped and not quite as dignified as the three dressed in suits. Vegeta walks in the front, head held high, and Nappa and Radditz flank him. Piccolo stands off to the left of Nappa, somewhat ruining the effect, and Gohan and Videl shuffle behind his feet anxiously. Bulma walks behind Vegeta, biting her lip, nervous that the first thing that these people will do is send them away or lock them up.

Completely shattering her fears, the pink-skinned man in the center spreads out his arm, smiling widely (he is toothless, Bulma realizes) and says with a voice as soft as silk, "Welcome, enemies of Frieza's Empire, and friends of us." He bows slightly to Vegeta, who regards him with mixed distrust and shock. The man answers all of their silent questions, still with a smile on his face. "There are many bounties on your head, Prince Vegeta. We knew that you had defected long ago."

Vegeta nods. "Then I suspect you know of our purpose for coming here?"

This time the shorter man speaks, his voice gruff and not as welcoming. "Yes, we've guessed. You want an army?" Vegeta nods. "It may not be as easy as you believe. There are a lot, here, but not a lot of fighters. Not enough to defeat Frieza's army. Come, we can discuss this inside Headquarters."

* * *

"Am I hallucinating?" Azuki deadpans, staring up at Recoome with something like terrified excitement. She does not want to get too excited in case this wasn't real, but she also can't help the pure glee that is coursing through her body.

"Um, no." Goku says, slowly getting to his feet, afraid that this was some kind of trap, because how could something like this just _happen_?

Azuki leaps to her feet, barreling out of the door and crashing into Recoome, launching herself onto him and latching her arms around his neck, a bit of her anxiety and withdrawal fading away at the pure excitement. She plants a kiss on his cheek and Recoome blushes, grinning shyly, then gently picks her up, pries her off of him, and sets her on the ground. "You must hurry," Recoome says, the grin slipping from his face, replaced with a more somber frown.

Goku finally emerges from the cell, his eyes roving up and down the hall and seeing the lifeless guards scattered on the floor. "He's fine," Azuki says quickly, noticing the distrusting way Recoome's eyes narrow in response to the other Saiyan. Recoome nods. "Are you not coming?" Azuki asks, her eyes searching Recoome's, and he shakes his head.

"Recoome must go and lead Frieza and the rest of the Ginyu Force astray to hangar 3N. Also, Recoome's place is with the Ginyu Force. Recoome must stay."

"Recoome, are you sure? If they find out..." Azuki trails off ominously, afraid for her friend, terrified at the risk, and all for her. What had she done to deserve this devotion, this display of absolute trust? She does not understand why he would do something so life-threatening for her.

Recoome grins, cocking his head to the side and patting Azuki somewhat painfully on the back. "Recoome will not get caught. Recoome promises," and then the giant disappears down the hall, waving one last time before he ascends the stairs and disappears.

"What are we waiting on?" Goku asks, on edge, terrified that this one and only chance is going to pass them up. He wants to _go,_ he wants to get out and find Gohan and leave this sick, twisted place behind.

"Give Recoome a few minutes to get to Frieza," she says, edging towards the light filtering from the staircase and stepping around the bodies that Recoome had left behind. She kicks a few, making sure they are truly dead. Azuki looks down the rows of doorways and then thinks – they need a distraction. She races down the hall, slamming open the doorways (they only open from the outside and need no key) and watching as the disfigured prisoners wince at the light. "Go!" she screams to them, urging them on, and Goku is soon opening more cells, realizing her intentions, and a line of former prisoners is charging up the stairway with roars of hopeful freedom.

Azuki and Goku blend themselves into the crowd, racing up into the light amidst the half-crazed former prisoners. They are immediately met with stunned guards, but Azuki and Goku are in the back of the crowd so don't have to deal with them. The ones in front take care of them with ruthless intensity, having been caged in for far too long.

Azuki pushes through, shoving a few of the dreary, only partly sane people aside, and grabs Goku's sleeve, pulling him out of the crowd and down a separate hall. "Shouldn't we stick with them?" He asks, eyeing the screaming prisoners and watching as a couple guards manage to take out a few before they are overwhelmed. He likes the idea of blending in, afraid that, by separating themselves, they are becoming easier targets.

"They are going the wrong way. They are heading for Frieza," Azuki tells him, finally releasing his sleeve and taking the lead down the hallway. "Revenge is on their minds, and they are fools."

The halls fill with red, flashing lights and Goku almost falters. He has to pick up his pace to keep up with Azuki, who is tearing down the halls with a ridiculous speed for one who had no use of ki and was just talking to her _dead father_ only moments ago.

Two guards suddenly burst from a room, training guns on them, but before they can fire Goku and Azuki are on them. Azuki leaps and kicks her left leg off of the wall, giving herself more momentum so that the punch she delivers across the face of the man sends him flying back, even without ki. She turns to see Goku kicking the other in the neck, then delivering a series of sharp jabs to various pressure points that leave the man crumpled on the ground. He meets her eyes, nods, and they take off down the hall once more, leaving a bloody trail behind them. Pure adrenaline fuels them forward, making them mindless of their injuries and the pain that is searing through their bodies.

"This way!" Azuki calls, veering to the left down a smaller hallway. She briefly checks on Frieza's ki, and senses that Recoome has met him and is leading him in the opposite direction to a separate hangar, just as he had promised. A wave of gratitude seizes her; he will not go without punishment for leading Frieza astray, but is sure that the tyrant will blame it on te giant's stupidity and will only punish, instead of kill. The group of prisoners is easy to sense, as well, as they are a mass of dim ki's headed straight for Frieza's chambers. The two groups would collide soon and give them more time. No doubt Frieza would want to draw out their deaths and make them as painful as possible in his rage.

"How far away are we?" Goku asks from behind her as she dodges a ki blast sent in her direction and chops the lone soldier's neck, making him crumple to the floor.

"Almost there!" She calls out, then falls clumsily to the ground as something rams into her head (pain, blinding stars), sliding along the floor and making her vision blur. A soldier stands over her, gun held triumphantly, and aims at Goku, who is desperately trying to race to Azuki's aid. Azuki quickly grabs the man's ankle and pulls him to the ground as he fires, causing him to hit the ceiling and forming a gigantic hole right above them. The debris rains down on the both of them, and the man scrambles to aim his blaster at Azuki, but she slams his head into the ground. Azuki quickly gets to her feet, now chasing after Goku, who has seen more soldiers coming from the left hallway. Azuki scrambles towards him, seriously wondering how people survive without ki, and barely has time to dodge a blast sent in her direction before she reaches the fray. Goku has already taken out three of the six, and Azuki reaches up to stop a spear that is flying towards her. She catches it around the middle and uses it to stab the man in front of her, then whacks it across the skull of the last.

More are coming, infiltrating their hallway, and Goku and Azuki fight back-to-back. Where Goku is not, Azuki is. They cover each other's backs and when Azuki senses Goku's trouble she tosses her newly-found spear to him, which he easily grabs and uses to whack across the skulls of three men, then turns and slaps it in a man's chest, wielding the weapon with skill that tells of an untold story. "Come on!" Azuki screams once all of the others are taken care of, frightened that they will be overwhelmed before they make it to the hangar.

Azuki sincerely hopes that more ships have come in since they destroyed them all.

"Lord Frieza, prisoners Azuki and Goku are in hallway C!" A voice shouts over the intercom, and Azuki freezes.

Instead of red, their hallway begins to flash blue, illuminating the halls with all sorts of warnings. "Fuck, go!" Azuki screams, taking off in a dead sprint towards the end of the hall and to their freedom, her vision dancing painfully. Everything around her is blurring together, fusing many images and making her head spin, and her heart is thumping painfully in her chest. They veer to the left, and Goku sees the hangar: he also sees lines and lines of soldiers pouring out of it. The entrance is huge, but the great slab of a door is closing downwards, blocking out their only escape.

They take off in a dead sprint, each of them having to fight their way to the entrance before it closes. Goku elbows, kicks, scratches, and claws, not using any kind of honor in his fighting and not particularly caring, too excited by the sight of the freedom that has evaded him for six months. In the heat of the moment Goku does not realize that he has lost Azuki, but the second he finally bursts through the entrance in record time, the door only halfway down, he turns and sees that she is far behind.

She is in the dead middle of the group of soldiers, using the spear that she had acquired and bludgeoning the men around her. She stabs a few, the spear going in and out of the guts of the men easily, and there is something deranged in her eyes, and a snarl on her face. Goku cringes, appalled and frozen at the outright violence that his newfound friend is displaying. Azuki actually turns to begin mauling the men that had crowded behind her, her mind only on killing and not escaping, something in her mind snapping at the smell of blood in the air.

"Azuki!" Goku screams, finally overcoming his initial shock, leaping back into the fray of soldiers, all the while mindful of their only escape disappearing behind him. Azuki hears him and snaps out of her rage, her eyes widening. She sees the space diminishing and begins sprinting towards it, but the soldiers jump in her way, simply trying to delay her and keep her outside long enough for Frieza to arrive.

Goku retreats back into the hangar, having to duck to get inside, and screams, "Hurry!" to Azuki, who is frantically shoving Frieza's men aside and beating them back with her spear.

Goku has to crouch, getting on his knees and Azuki dives, her hands and torso making it through, but someone behind her grabs her ankle and pulls back. Azuki screams and Goku frantically grabs onto her flailing arms, tugging. The door finally reaches the floor, right on Azuki's ankle, and her screams escalate. Goku gives one last forceful tug and she slides through, free, the door finally slamming into the ground loudly behind her.

The hangar is empty, save a single ship. It seemed that all the men had evacuated it in an attempt to keep out Goku and Azuki. Goku picks Azuki up and throws her over his shoulder, sprinting towards the lone ship and boarding it. He races into the control room and sets Azuki down in the chair in front of the controls.

"Azuki, you have to pilot it, I don't know how!" Goku screams frantically; he can feel Frieza's ki racing towards them, frantic, sensing the escape of his favorite prisoner.

The female Saiyan groggily lifts herself to the controls, her eyes sliding in and out of focus as she stares at them for a long second. Goku glances up at the view screen, only to see that the soldiers have opened the door to the hangar and are pouring in, making their way towards their craft. He turns to Azuki and screams, "Hurry!"

Spurred by this command, Azuki begins to type in coordinates to the head of the Resistance that she had acquired from their leader – it was their only bet at not getting immediately turned in to Frieza. Their ship lifts as her hands fly over the controls, and it slowly bowls over a few of the soldiers that had gotten especially close. She slams on a control and a gigantic blast fries one of the walls. Frieza's men frantically try to grab on to something but it is no use – they are sucked into space and Azuki and Goku's ship zaps outside, free. Goku cheers in excitement, and Azuki smiles faintly, adrenaline vanishing and leaving her with a horrible, throbbing pain in her crushed ankle and head.

Finally, they are _free_ of Frieza's terrifying grasp, and Azuki exhales, finding it much easier to breathe again.

* * *

**A/N: I can't say that I like this chapter too much. I'm still struggling with writing action scenes, but I promise I'll get the hang of them soon. Hope you liked it, and I promise to make the upcoming chapters better!  
**


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey, guys! Extra quick update since I'm leaving to go on vacation tomorrow morning for a week, and thought I'd update before I leave ;)**

Chapter 24

Dead bodies litter the floor, their faces permanently screwed into expressions of fear and pain, their limbs disfigured or completely burned to nothing, blood staining the thick carpet, along with intestines and disembodied arms and legs. A head sits to the left of Frieza's foot, completely disconnected from its body, eyes screwed up and mouth opened in a cry of pain. The smell of rotting flesh is in the air; a smell that would make a weaker man vomit, but Frieza inhales deeply, intoxicated by the sweet scent of death. Frieza sidesteps one of the bodies with a horrible, twisted scowl on his face, his red eyes mere slits, the bottoms of his feet caked in the blood that he has drawn. His hands clench by his side, and his teeth grind together as he lets the rage course inside of him and harnesses it into power.

An unfortunate soldier stumbles across the wrong hall that most of his comrades had been avoiding, and turns to quickly run at the sight of Frieza. Unfortunately, Frieza sees him, and turns in a quick, angry motion, throwing a black ki ball with all of the force he can muster. The ki connects with the man and explodes, leaving nothing behind.

Frieza seethes, feeling no better. He wishes that he could kill the moron Recoome, but he knows that he needs the Ginyu Force for other things. That fool had led him in the wrong direction; that complete idiot had actually thought that Azuki had been in the wrong hangar. He thinks, dimly, that maybe Azuki had been intelligent enough to lead them off track, tricking Recoome into believing that that is where she was. But _how_; he had watched her go insane, had brought it out himself so that he could use her to his advantage. The only satisfaction that he has is that he knows that she will never be the same again, but it does nothing to sate his rage.

"You called for me, Lord Frieza?" Ginyu asks, stepping around the evidence of Frieza's anger, to stand beside his Master with a respectful bow. Frieza knows that Ginyu is confident he will not kill him, and for that reason Frieza _wants _to, but he restrains himself.

"Send out a message that Azuki is dead," Frieza says coldly, stepping on one of the bodies and grinding his toes into it, eyes narrowed. He does not want his men to get the idea that escape is so easy, and he had already killed all that failed to keep her in the hangar, so there were no witnesses. If his men thought that defecting was so easy, they might get the idea in their heads that they could do it, too.

Ginyu falters, surprised, and asks, "But Sir, won't it be better to send out a message that she has escaped, so people know to be on the lookout for her? They have to stop somewhere."

Frieza freezes in mid-step, circling on his heel to glare stonily at Ginyu, who blanches and bows hurriedly, starting to form an apology. Frieza, however, cuts him off with hollow words. "Excuse me, Captain Ginyu, but I wasn't aware that you knew _everything."_

"Of course not, Lord Frieza –"

"THEN DO WHAT I ASK!" Frieza screams, his voice rising several octaves, everything inside of him snapping from the buildup of his rage. Ginyu flinches terribly, actually falling backwards, and Frieza takes two steps towards him. "DO NOT QUESTION ME!" It seems as if the hallway shakes; the walls next to them shudder from the pure power of the enraged Ice-jinn in the room.

"Yes sir, of course, Lord Frieza," Ginyu says hurriedly, turning to attend to his master's bidding at once.

"Captain Ginyu," Frieza halts him, his words calm again, and Ginyu worries about the way his mood can change so easily. "Once you are finished with that, prepare your ship. Put that idiot into a regen tank. And take off immediately. If you do not find both Azuki and Vegeta, do not come back."

Ginyu bows so lowly that his nose comes close to touching the floor. "Of course, Lord Frieza. Right away."

* * *

"Don't _touch_ it, Goku!" Azuki screeches as Goku gently prods her crushed ankle gently. He withdraws hastily, an apologetic look on his face. "Fucking shit!" Azuki curses, hands wrapped around her calf, just above the injury. "_Myruht! _Are you _that _stupid?"

Her ankle had already swollen considerably and was completely covered in purple and yellow bruises, now matching her torso and back. Goku had hoped to feel if the bone was only broken, but he now realizes that it wasn't the best of ideas. The ship that they were on was a simple cargo ship, so it had only one room and no regeneration tanks.

"We need to stop," he says, surveying her pitifully. "If you don't get that fixed, then you could never walk again."

"All I need is a regeneration tank, and we'll deal with that when we reach the Resistance. We can't stop anywhere, Goku," Azuki commands sternly, her voice wavering from some of the pain. On the plus side, it took the edge off of her withdrawal, but she isn't sure which is worse. "We'll have prices on our heads, now."

Goku knows that this is true, but he also knows that Azuki needs help, and soon. He is confident that a tank could probably fix it, but he is worried at how the constant pain will send Azuki back into the state that she had seemingly broken from. "I don't know, Azuki…that looks really painful."

"It _is_," Azuki hisses, and then takes a deep breath when Goku winces apologetically. "Just…just see what's in the fridge."

Goku had propped her up in a corner of the tiny kitchen, wrapped in blankets and suspended on pillows. She had not been able to make it the one room on their tiny ship, and had not wanted Goku to carry her into it. That was too…helpless.

Goku nods, hurrying over to the fridge and opening it up. It was filled, of course, as all of Frieza's ships were, but from Azuki's vantage point, it didn't look like enough to feed two starving Saiyans for the two weeks that it would take them to get to their destination. "We'll have to pace ourselves with it," Goku says, his voice betraying his immense depression at this, as he pulls out two steaks. "So we don't run out."

"Just give me that steak, I'm fucking starving."

Goku looks surprised for a moment, but then hands her the raw steak. Azuki tears into it viciously, finishing it in a matter of seconds. "That's disgusting," Goku winces, looking away and staring down at his own steak in obvious discomfort. "But I don't know how to cook."

"Just eat it, it's delicious," Azuki smirks at his hesitance, then laughs as he daintily bites into it.

"It's better cooked," he says, but downs the thing in a matter of seconds. He then pulls out some vegetables, tossing Azuki a red, tomato-like thing that she sinks her teeth into. He takes another out and copies her, the red juice running down his chin.

"That's enough for now," Azuki commands when Goku begins reaching back into the fridge. He then looks at her as if she's grown another head. "We have to ration it, remember?" She reminds him. Goku sighs in defeat and closes the door.

They had tried to pry off the ki restraints with tools that had been in a closet in the ship, but neither had had much luck. The bracelets just wouldn't come off, so they resigned themselves to waiting until they arrived at the Resistance and could be assisted.

Azuki burrows herself in the blankets, closing her eyes and allowing the weariness to take hold. _Oh_, how wonderful it will be to sleep, she thinks. "Go to sleep, Goku," she manages to say, not wanting him to hover over her while she is out cold, "and don't wake me."

Azuki falls asleep instantly.

* * *

The three men lead them down a wide, silver hallway, complete with green, blinking lights that illuminate it. On either side of them are never-ending plasma screens that blink with new news from Frieza's Empire, flashing information so quickly that it is almost hard to read it. Bulma watches it in awe as the three men converse in hushed tones ahead of them, reading about recent raids and battles and what planets are in line to be purged so should be evacuated.

She turns away to glance at the three in front of her, and she narrows her eyes, trying to figure out what they are saying. From beside her, Vegeta screeches to a halt, reading the screen with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. Bulma follows his gaze and her stomach drops; there, flashing on the screen, is a picture of Azuki with the words TERMINATED in blinking red letters, just below her smirking face. There is nothing in Vegeta's face or posture to betray his feelings, but Bulma takes his hand comfortingly and watches Radditz's face fill with confusion and rage. Gohan's eyes widen, and Videl copies Bulma, taking Gohan's hand and hugging his side in comfort.

"A shame, truly," the coal-skinned man says, surveying the screen with regret in his features. "I wish that she had lived long enough to serve the cause."

Vegeta flinches, a hardly noticeable movement, but Bulma feels it. He turns to glare at the man, but Radditz is the one to speak.

"You speak of her as if she is a tool," Radditz spits, everything about him on edge, his posture stiff and his eyes betraying his pain.

The pink-skinned man comes to the rescue of his friend, who does not seem intimidated by Radditz. "Forgive my comrade, friend," he says, voice calm and soothing. "He tends to speak more harshly than others. Do not believe that we do not feel your loss."

"It is news to us," Vegeta says, voice cold, "but nothing that we cannot handle. Let us proceed."

Shocked eyes turn to Vegeta, and even the pink-skinned man seems a bit affronted by his lack of emotion at the loss of his sister. Gohan opens his mouth to speak, eyes narrowed, but Videl shushes him quickly and squeezes his hand.

"Very well," says the dark-skinned man, and turns, leading them down the hallway and passed many doors. There are men and women alike in the large hallway, all as busy and bustling as the ones that had been scurrying throughout the city, stacks of papers in their hands. "I am Madaekal. This," he gestures to the pink-skinned man, "is Heyte. And this," he says, pointing to the quiet humanoid man, "is Lucas."

They pass a room that Bulma peeks in through the window on the door, and she sees rows and rows of men and women alike typing furiously on computers, headsets on and fingers flying rapidly. She turns and sees that Vegeta has seen the same.

At last, Madaekal leads them into the room that is on the very end of the hall. It has wooden double doors, both grand and reaching the ceiling. Heyte nods, gesturing them forward, and they enter.

They are met by a large, circular table, much like in the Resistance that they had been in weeks before. Except this room is twice the size of the last with a dome-shaped ceiling, and on the far end has a projector pointing towards a gigantic whiteboard. The whiteboard is littered with numbers and statistics and formulas, and before Bulma can read them and see what they mean, Lucas moves forward to erase them.

"We will have a meeting here shortly due to your arrival," says Heyte, smiling amiably. "I suggest that Mr. Piccolo sits in the middle of your group, as he is the most recognizable among you and will pacify some of our more opinionated members," Vegeta shoots him a glare, and Heyte raises both arms to stop him from speaking. "It is merely a suggestion, however."

Vegeta stalks forward and takes a seat, and Radditz and Nappa immediately sit on either side, both of them still looking shocked by news of Azuki's death. Gohan grumpily sits next to Radditz, and Videl follows suit. Bulma gestures for Piccolo to sit next to Nappa, and he nods and does so, and then Bulma sits on the outer edge.

Lucas nods and says, "We will be back shortly," and then leaves, the door slamming shut behind him.

No one speaks. Vegeta glares down at the table as if it has offended him in some way, and Radditz stares out into space with an angry scowl masking his sorrow. Nappa is expressionless, more so than even Vegeta, and Gohan looks like someone has punched him in the gut. Videl stares down at the table, too, still clutching Gohan's hand.

Bulma feels a deep sorrow inside of her at the loss of Azuki. She had been _so _young, and had been so carefree on their ship, so childlike. She feels for Vegeta, knowing that Azuki was probably the closest relationship he had ever had prior to Bulma, and to have it ripped away so easily (by the same man who killed the rest of his family, no less) must be painful. He also has to keep up the uncaring mask, true to his personality, and she knows that it cannot be easy.

But there is something holding her back from being truly, deeply sad, something that is keeping her from thinking of Azuki as dead, gone, something that she cannot identify.

The door opens again, and all kinds of people begin to file in, shooting their group distrusting looks. Bulma holds herself tall and proud, as does Vegeta. He meets each of their eyes and makes it so that they are the ones to look away. Soon, the entire room is filled with men and women, all official and intimidating-looking in suits. Madaekal, Heyte, and Lucas stand near the whiteboard, Heyte in the middle. He raises his arms, and a hushed silence immediately falls over the room.

"As many of you know," he begins, "Prince Vegeta and Mr. Piccolo have joined our midst. They are looking for an army." The room immediately erupts into shocked whispers, and Heyte silences them all again. "After discussion, we will put it to a vote on whether or not we will give our assistance." And then he turns to Vegeta and Piccolo. "State your case," he says simply, and then sits down.

Vegeta stares at him in shocked silence for half a second, appalled by how easy and simple they are making this. In his moment of hesitance, Piccolo stands. "You know my name," he begins, voice cold and with authority. "You know who I am, and you know that I am trustworthy. I have been with the Saiyans for two weeks, now. If they had evil purposes, I would be dead, as would these two children," he gestures to Videl and Gohan, conveniently leaving out Gohan's half-Saiyan ancestry. "You want to kill Frieza? We are your best shot. Do you have plans? Do you know how to kill him? You need us, and we need you. We need an army." Piccolo nods, and sits down.

"And who will take over once Frieza is dead?" A man to the left of them asks, not even letting there be a moment of silence after Piccolo's speech. "Him? Forgive me, but I do believe that that will not be much different."

Vegeta glares, nostrils flaring, but Bulma speaks before he can completely ruin any chance that they have. "It will be nothing like Frieza," she says, and Vegeta glances at her in surprise. "The Universe will be run differently. He will not rule out of fear," she knows that she is taking a chance, but she continues, anyway. "If we liked the way Frieza ruled, do you think we would be trying to destroy him?"

"How do we know that he only wants to destroy him out of jealousy for power?" Another woman shouts, and Bulma has a strong sense of déjà vu, reminded of the meeting on the last planet.

Finally, Vegeta stands, and a quiet hush falls over the crowd. He surveys them all with a look that says that they are beneath him, and Bulma nearly moans, longing to look away and not see whatever disaster was about to occur. "If I become Ruler," he says slowly, as if it pains him to speak, "I swear on my honor as a Saiyan that I will consult with the Resistance for certain decisions." And Vegeta sits down.

Bulma's jaw drops. She almost feels like applauding. He avoids her gaze, and she smiles slightly, taking his hand from underneath the table and giving it a squeeze. Vegeta scowls. There is a hushed silence in the room, as if everyone is shocked by Vegeta's words, and Bulma knows that they must be.

"Can I say something?" Gohan asks, standing, and Heyte nods encouragingly. "I know I'm just a kid, and everything, but I know that Prince Vegeta will be a good leader. He knows from Frieza not to be like him. We need an army to win this war. We need to end it, and soon, before Frieza has time to gather more allies. _Please_, before anyone else has to die."

Heyte nods, standing. "Well spoken. I believe it is time to put it to a vote, unless anyone else has anything to say. No? Alright. All in favor?"

Videl's arm shoots excitedly into the air, and slowly, following her example, over two-thirds of the people lift their arms. Madaekal nods. "Very well. We shall set to work immediately."

There is immediate hustle and bustle as the majority of the room stands, moving hurriedly, their faces set in determination. Vegeta's group sits still, awkwardly wondering if they are supposed to move.

"Gather information of all planets against Frieza's reign that have armies!" Lucas shouts over the noise, and Bulma is shocked by the power in his voice, as Madaekal scribbles furiously on the whiteboard. "Contact those that we can reach!"

"Tell them that this is it! Yelsa, contact Urna'an and tell him that the time we have waited for has begun! This is war!"

* * *

Azuki wakes to the feeling of something wonderfully cool being placed against her forehead. She grimaces as the pain from before shoots through her body, making her moan softly. Her head is pounding, and _something_ is wrong with her ankle, but she can't quite remember what. The scars on her back from the recent whippings feel like they are deep in her insides, pulling and ripping. Azuki moans again, swatting at whatever cool thing is pressed against her forehead, wondering what it could possibly be.

She opens bleary eyes, blinking at the bright light that is assaulting her vision. She is in a kitchen…why is she in a kitchen? And there is a man, an unfamiliar man sitting on a chair next to her, dabbing a cloth on her forehead with a worried expression. "You ok?" he asks. "I think you have a fever."

She blinks at him in confusion. "_Ishna_?" She asks in her language, somehow identifying this man as a Saiyan, and therefore trustworthy.

"Um, what?" The man asks, confusion flickering in his eyes. "I…um, I don't understand, Azuki."

How did he know her name? _What_ had happened? Were they on Vegetasei?

"_Huy twa," _she spits, slapping at the wet cloth and tossing it off of her. Worry is evident in his face, and she wonders why he cares about her. And why did she hurt so badly?

Azuki takes quick inventory of her body, noticing caked blood all over her skin, and she sees why her ankle throbs so terribly. But what…

It all slams into her so painfully that the breath whooshes out of her. "Oh, fuck, Goku," she curses, rubbing her head in agitation. Goku sighs in relief. "_Fuck_."

* * *

"Vegeta!" Bulma calls out, hurrying down the hallway that is so bustling with activity, she can just barely make out the top of Vegeta's telltale hair over the crowd. She pushes a woman to the side, muttering a quick apology, trying to catch up to the Saiyan Prince. "Vegeta!"

He makes a detour and she knows where he is going so follows, blending into the crowd and hoping he does not try to shake her off of his trail. She knows that he can sense ki, now, and knows that he is aware of her following.

She enters the doorway that she knows he went through, increasing her pace to a trot to catch up with him. Finally, she comes upon their quarters that Madaekal had given them, and enters with a deep breath of preparation.

Vegeta's back is to her, facing the bed. Their quarters is just one room, instead of a house like on the other planet, with one King-size bed and one dresser for their belongings. Vegeta and Bulma share one, while Radditz and Nappa each took their own, and Gohan and Videl chose to share, as well.

"Vegeta," Bulma whispers, afraid to move forward. She cannot see his face, therefore cannot see his expression, and is slightly wary that he is not in the mood to deal with her right now.

"Get out," he says, but his voice is not as cold and commanding as she is sure he meant for it to be, so she does not leave.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He does not fool her for a moment. "Azuki."

"It is…a temporary setback, but can be overcome."

He still refuses to face her, so Bulma moves forward, taking hold of his arm and pulling him towards her. He does not fight her, and she turns him so that he faces her. His eyes are dark and expressionless, and Bulma presses herself against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm so sorry, Vegeta."

He does not hold her, but he does not move away, and she finds this promising. "When we were younger," Vegeta says, startling Bulma, "she would always tell me that she was to be the oldest Saiyan to ever live, as she would never die in battle. She was an idiot."

Bulma kisses the bottom of his jaw apologetically, ignoring the lump in her throat. To see Vegeta like this; so vulnerable, was strange, but not altogether a bad thing. He needed to do this, to feel, to get his emotions out.

"You'll kill Frieza," Bulma whispers, taking his hand. "You'll kill him and he will regret everything he has done."

Vegeta nods, an almost imperceptible movement, and then brushes past her, leaving her in the room alone.

* * *

Radditz enters his room, ignoring the boy that is right on his heels. Gohan had followed him all of the way here, much to his annoyance, and he didn't quite know what to do with the brat. He needed to _vent_, to break something, but he did not want to do so in front of the child, so he simply turns and barks, "What?" He wonders where Videl is, as she had, for once, not followed Gohan.

"What do we do now?" He asks, voice faltering and cracking, and Radditz wonders just how much he had admired Azuki. The boy had never seen her at her worst (Radditz has, he has seen the temper tantrums, the faint traces of something that is stronger in her than in Vegeta, but shouldn't be), and he wonders if Gohan would admire her as much as if he had. When Gohan had been on the ship, she had been having a good week. She had not broken anything, had not screamed at anyone, and had not killed anything. He figures that it is because, in that short time in Vegeta's absence, she had been in charge, putting her in a good mood for a while. It is something she had always longed for and wanted; to be above Vegeta in power and control.

"We wait until all of the armies come in and we go to war," says Radditz, turning his back to the child in annoyance.

"What if they don't agree to come?"

Radditz falters, not having thought of this. He shrugs nonchalantly, hiding his face from the child. "They will."

"What about Azuki?"

"What about her?" Radditz nearly shouts, whirling to glare at Gohan, who seems shocked by his outburst. "She's dead. There's nothing else that can be done."

"But…"

"No buts, Gohan. She is dead. Accept it."

"Do you?"

Radditz growls, baring his fangs at Gohan, but the boy does not back down. "Get out, Gohan, or I will make you."

Gohan backs down, giving him one last long look that he cannot decipher, and leaves, shutting the door quietly behind him. Radditz snarls, slamming his fist into the wall and leaving a large, caved in dent.

From outside, Gohan hears the bang and winces.

* * *

Goku begins slipping Azuki parts of his portions of food discreetly, knowing that if she were to notice, she would be incredibly angry and flat out refuse. She needs it more than he, and, although he is _so _hungry and wants nothing more than to completely empty out the fridge, she is hurting (somewhere deep down inside he knows it is worse than that, going past the physical and into something much deeper and more intricate, something that has been there for a while and is only now being drawn out) and he is fine.

He cannot tell if it is the pain or the withdrawal or simply _her_, but there are moments where she looks at him as if she has never before seen him, and times where she thinks he is someone else. He is uncomfortable and takes pleasure in the long periods of time that she is asleep, because he does not know what to do with her.

"You doing alright, Azuki?" Goku asks, trying to figure out the oven without setting the entire ship on fire.

Azuki does not speak, so he turns to glance over at her, worried that she might be going through a phase. She is watching him, and her eyes are glinting with the awareness that tells him that she isn't hallucinating. "You remind me of Recoome," she says finally when she catches his questioning look. She pauses for a long time, then continues. "If our places were reversed, I would have left you behind, you know," she says, voice hard as steel. Azuki looks away from him, unable to make eye contact.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that I didn't get hurt. For me, anyway," Goku responds, voice still cheery, although feeling slightly cold inside. He turns away from Azuki, opening the fridge for the simple joy of inhaling its odors.

"Do you trust me, Goku?" He can _feel _her ice-cold gaze on his back, now, and for a moment wishes that she were hallucinating instead of aware of his tenseness.

Azuki is unlike anyone he has ever met. He has met good people, and he has met bad people, but Azuki is in the middle, precariously on the edge and about to tip into the bad side. When he studies her ki, it is a strange feeling. It is a dark power, filled with swirling emotions and conflict, but it is also outlined with a powerful understanding of what is right and wrong. If he had to compare it to someone, he would compare it to Piccolo, who had only just joined Goku's side when the aliens attacked Earth. But it is more twisted, more _wrong_, but not enough to frighten him.

There is good inside of everyone; Goku _knows_ this.

"Yes," Goku responds.

Azuki laughs. "I wish you wouldn't."

* * *

"What is the problem?" Vegeta asks, voice bored, as he enters the meeting room. The three leaders of the Resistance are standing in the front of the room, along with Bulma, speaking in hushed, frantic tones. A week had passed with much activity and training, and Vegeta can feel the humming in his veins that tells him it is almost time.

Their heads snap up at his arrival, and Lucas beckons him to them.

"We have reached an unexpected bump in our plans," Heyte says, gesturing to some papers stacked in front of them. Vegeta raises an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue, and not bothering with looking at the papers.

"Of the fifty planets we contacted, only three agreed to send armies. The others declined," Madaekal finishes, voice grave.

Vegeta growls in annoyance and folds his arms over his chest. "Well? What are you going to do about it?"

"We were thinking of sending out parties to contact the planets personally."

"They think that we should go," Bulma explains, gesturing to she and Vegeta. "And Gohan and Piccolo and everyone else."

"When do we leave?" Vegeta asks, pleased by the new plan. He doesn't particularly like staying on this planet; he wants to leave and do something. And, on the ship, he would have closer access to the GR so that he could train more.

"A few days," says Heyte. "I would like to contact the planets back, and make absolutely sure that they are against helping us. Until then, we will be patient."

* * *

Goku performs his _katas_ in intense relief, relishing in the way his body immediately responds, going through the movements with practiced perfection. He closes his eyes, taking deep breaths, a small, barely-there smile on his face.

"What the fuck are you doing." It is not a question, but an ice-cold statement of fury.

Goku halts his movements with a wince, turning to look at the pissed off Saiyan staring blankly at him. She is propped up on her good leg, blankets draped over her shoulders like some sort of cape, leaning on the doorframe to the single bedroom. He had thought she had been asleep, and had (apparently) made a grave mistake. "Um…training?" he offers with a smile, shrugging innocently.

"Why didn't you ask me?" She says through clenched teeth, and he can see the glint in her eyes, the one that he must watch out for and be wary of.

"Azuki, you shouldn't even be standing. Doesn't it hurt?"

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Azuki screeches finally, the explosion that Goku had been waiting for letting loose. Goku flinches apologetically, wondering how he is going to calm her down, this time. She can't move without losing some dignity, so she can't advance on him and hit him like he knows she wants to.

"Please, Azuki – " Goku begs, voice pleading, but Azuki shakes her head.

"YOU DON'T GET TO ACT LIKE YOU CARE! YOU DON'T! I KNOW YOU DON'T!"

"Azuki – " She is sinking, her leg that she is supported on slowly giving way to her other injuries, but she slaps one hand against the doorframe and pulls herself back up, eyes flashing.

"SHUT UP! YOU – YOU – YOU'RE JUST LIKE HIM! YOU'RE JUST LIKE ALL OF THEM! I KNOW YOU DON'T CARE!" Azuki's face is turning red with her anger, her hands clenched and white by her sides. "You've done this on purpose," she seethes, "you've injured me so that you can train and get stronger than me, and be better than everyone and high and mighty and in charge, just like always, and I FUCKING HATE YOU!" Azuki slams her fist into the doorframe, making an impressive dent for someone lacking ki. "_Ilke friena ga'agaratha, myruht!"_ and she turns, hopping out of the room and slamming the door shut behind her. Goku flinches at the loud bang and sighs, rubbing his temples, wondering how this all happened to _him_.

He hears a thump and hurries to the kitchen, only to find Azuki burrowed back in her cocoon of blankets, rocking slowly back and forth, clutching both of her wrists. "Please take them off, Goku, _yulrik, _please," she whispers, clawing desperately at the ki restraints.

"I'm sorry, Azuki," Goku whispers, kneeling beside her and touching her arm apologetically. They were so close, so close to their destination and Goku is frightened that she will drop completely off of the edge before they get there. "Just hang on. Please just hang on."

* * *

**A/N: Extra long chapter to make up for my future absence! Review and tell me what you think :)**


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N: You guys are seriously awesome. Thanks for all the well wishes for my vacation; it was wonderful!**

**A HUGE thank you to my beta, Naiel, for all the time spent on this one. This chapter would have been significantly suckier without her ;) THANK YOU!**

Chapter 25

The woman standing in front of her looks almost identical to herself; short (both she and Vegeta had gotten that trait from her), long black hair, black eyes, pointed features…so there is absolutely no doubting that the woman is her mother.

Azuki's never seen or met her mother before. Frieza killed her only a few months after Azuki was born, due to the fact she and King Vegeta had not told him that she had had another child in an effort to save at least one child from his grasp. In short, Azuki is the reason that her mother died before she or Vegeta got to truly learn from her.

She has never felt remorse until now, seeing a very definite, beautiful woman that once existed, once breathed, once lived.

"Mother," she whispers, and her namesake nods. "Forgive me." She has done so much_,_ done so many wrongs, _she is wrong._

This time, her mother shakes her head, disappointment flashing in her features. And then her mother's expression changes, morphing into one of fear and terror, backing a few steps away from her daughter. Azuki turns to look behind her, looking for the object of her fear and fully prepared to rip apart whatever monster was terrifying her mother so. But nothing is behind her, nothing but the black, empty dark space that makes up whatever room they are in.

"What is it?" She asks, confused, turning back to her mother, only to realize what the woman's eyes are fixed on. _Me._

Azuki slowly raises her right arm in the air, pointing her open palm out at her own mother. _No, no,_ she thinks, _not again, please not again_, but she has no control over her own limbs, cannot stop herself.

Azuki's mother tries to turn and run, but Azuki only laughs at her foolish desire to flee, firing a red ki blast into her retreating back and sending her mother careening to the ground, sliding along the black, empty floor face first.

Azuki walks slowly to the still woman, each step slow and deliberate. She leans down and flips the barely-conscious Saiyan to face her, grinning down into the face so like her own, relishing in her pain and anguish.

_These emotions are not mine,_ Azuki thinks desperately, trying to stop this betrayal of her own body. _Please stop._

But she doesn't. With clear exhilaration, Azuki leans down and grips her mother's hair, leering. "How dare you keep secrets from me," she hisses, grinning all the while. "She will be mine. You have saved _no one_."

The Saiyan woman cries out desperately, trying to wrench herself out of her captor's grasp, but Azuki just smiles greedily and _pulls back_ and her mother's head rips away from its body with sick easiness, showering her with blood.

Azuki licks her lips, relishing in the taste of another's blood, and looks down at the floor, wanting to see her reflection, see how the blood smears her body and how her eyes glint with power and see if it looks as good as it feels to hold an enemy's head in her hands (she feels so powerful, so _alive)._

In the pool of blood, Frieza's face stares back at her.

Azuki screams.

* * *

"_Idish,"_ Azuki mutters, a word that Goku had long since associated with his word _idiot_, and also one that the teenage Saiyan has taken to calling him. "Water. _Agui._"

He hurriedly makes her a glass from the sink, bringing it over to her. She snatches it from his hand and tilts it back, draining the glass and also spilling the majority of its contents down her front. Azuki watches him as he sets the glass back in the sink, and begins muttering a mix of jumbled words differentiating from things he can understand to the guttural language that she has been speaking most often.

They had been out of food for two days now, and Goku can feel the effects taking toll on his body. He is weakened and more tired than normal, and he knows it is affecting Azuki just as much, who sometimes falls into near catatonic states, simply staring up at the ceiling with an expressionless gaze.

He hurries to the control room, pressing his face to the glass and looking for any sign of the planet that they are supposed to be arriving to at any minute. Just a few more minutes until destination time, but _where _is this place? He can see nothing but empty, dark space stretching on for an impossible amount of miles. "Azuki, am I supposed to be able to see this planet?" he calls out into the kitchen, hoping for an answer, but slightly confident that he won't be receiving one.

"_Orinal turu'uk tah mysht."_

"Um, right," Goku mutters, squinting out the view screen again. _Where is it? We should be there right about now…_

Just as he thinks this, the black emptiness before him transforms, completely washing away and being replaced with a very real ground rushing up to meet them. Goku shouts in shock, grabbing the controls and trying to wrench their ship back upwards, but it is too late. In a collision that sends him flying forward, the nose of their ship crashes into the sandy terrain before them, sending up a thick cloud of dust. Goku crashes through the viewscreen and straight out to the other side, colliding in the dirt painfully and becoming half-buried in desert sand.

Pushing himself to his feet with a wince, Goku regards their beaten ship. The viewscreen is utterly shattered and the nose is buried halfway into the sand, tilted at a precarious angle. He climbs back up the nose hurriedly, crouching into the hole that his body had made and hurrying up the new upwards angle of the floor into the kitchen.

Azuki is sprawled against the side of the fridge, blankets tangled around her. Goku hurries to free her, pulling her from her cocoon. She does not resist.

"Nearly there," Goku mutters, "we've nearly got help."

Azuki gives no sign that she hears him, so he positions her in his arms bridal-style and carries her to the front of the ship, hopping through his hole and into the dusty sand below. Azuki is not entirely aware enough to object to his carrying her, so he does not bother asking her for her permission.

He can feel a mass of ki's somewhere in the distance, but he is too tired and weak to analyze them to see if they are friendly. They are all a blur to him, meshed together into one pile of energy, but at least its civilization. Goku sets out, feet digging into the sand and getting in between his toes and in his clothes when the wind whips it up into the sky, Azuki positioned heavily in his arms.

The sun beats down on his back and within minutes of trekking through the sand Goku's tongue becomes dry and his lips cracked. The desert sand pulls and tugs at his limbs, trying to bring him down, but he forces his legs to keep moving.

They _will_ get out of this. And when they do, he'll eat the biggest meal he has ever had.

* * *

"Where's the brat_?_" Vegeta asks as he and Bulma sit in one of the many dining rooms (one that Vegeta had cleared out with a cold glare, of course), with Nappa and Radditz next to them.

"Utterly out cold from all that training you've been putting him through, just like Videl," Bulma responds, jabbing a fork in Vegeta's direction while reading the news on one of the high-tech tablets that Lucas had given her. "Poor things probably wouldn't even wake up if there was an invasion."

"Hn. He needs to toughen up." Vegeta responds, stabbing at his cold meal and eyeing the tablet that Bulma is scrolling through with mild curiosity.

They were due to set out in the afternoon, but with all of their belongings already on the ship, there is not much to do but wait. Vegeta is ready to go, to get his mind off of things, but Bulma insists that it is protocol to leave at the time assigned to them. He, quite frankly, couldn't give two shits whether or not they followed protocol, but Bulma threatened to stay behind if he left, which put an end to that.

He needed her to make negotiations, after all. He most certainly isn't patient enough to deal with half-witted world leaders without blowing their heads off.

Suddenly, Vegeta stiffens, two very faint ki's alerting him to unknown weaklings out in the desert surrounding the compound. Nappa and Radditz stiffen as well, heads turning instinctively in the direction of the ki's. "What? What is it?" Bulma asks, voice rising in panic, as she drops her fork and prepares to jump to her feet.

"Nothing," Vegeta mutters. "Just two pathetic life forms out in the desert that don't belong. Radditz, go investigate."

Vegeta can see the annoyance in the other Saiyan's eyes, but he gets up without protest and heads to the door, eyes darkened in obvious displeasure.

* * *

It feels like the bright hot sun is sucking the life out of him. Goku has _never_ gone so long without food. Back in Frieza's chambers, they had at least been fed every day, and he had also not been in intense heat and been moving with a heavy dead weight in his arms, without ki to top it all off.

The sand tugs and pulls at his ankles and the toe of his boot catches, sending Goku tumbling into the dirt, face first, but not before he tosses Azuki in front of him to avoid landing quite painfully on top of her. Out of pure instinct he gasps, inhaling a mouthful of sand; he turns on his side and heaves terribly, trying to rid his lungs of the gritty substance.

Azuki turns to look at him, her black eyes glinting with something dangerous. She digs her elbows into the dirt and drags herself upward to her knees, clenching her fists around the sand and gritting her teeth in determination. She turns to face him and wraps her trembling hands around his shirt, tugging with all of her might, digging her good foot into the earth, desperately trying to drag his body in the direction that they had been headed.

Saiyan instincts, Frieza's teachings, everything in her very essence commands her to drop this man and leave him behind. But she _can't_, she cannot leave him when he has gone through so much to save her, even when she has been less than grateful.

She will not kill him like she had killed her mother.

So she ignores everything she has ever learned, dragging his body backwards a few feet before finally collapsing in the sand, utterly exhausted both mentally and physically.

Spurred by Azuki's desire, Goku pushes himself back to his feet, picking the teenager up and placing her delicately over his shoulders, dragging his feet and making ruts in the sand.

"Almost there, Azuki," he whispers, lips dry and cracked even from the short few hours that they've been outside. "We can make it."

And Goku thinks that it would be terribly anticlimactic if they were to die in this desert.

* * *

Radditz sets out, trudging through the desert and towards the two ki's, not even bothering to fly. He moans and groans to himself, annoyed that Vegeta has given him the most pointless, stupid job that one of the people in the damn Resistance could have done. Even those weaklings could restrain these pathetic ki's. He isn't exactly in the mood for this.

When he is close enough to the two ki's, he takes his eyes off of his feet and gazes upward, expecting to see two children or something of the sort. But this is not what greets his eyes; in the distance, outlined by the setting sun, one form carrying another makes him stop dead in his tracks. The man's eyes lift from the ground, seeing him, and he stops.

All he can see is the stranger hefting Azuki's still, dead body over his shoulders, all his mind can register is rage.

He killed her.

_He killed her._

So Radditz does the only thing his battle-worn mind can process: he attacks.

In a flash he is in front of the man and knocks him backwards, sending Azuki's body flying in a heap in the dirt. He phases behind the pathetically weak stranger and digs his elbow in his back, knocking him into the dirt. Radditz grinds his boot into his back (this man is so weak that he cannot even fight back, so pathetic), a large blast of ki charging in his left hand, powerful enough to kill the weakling and avenge Azuki.

Just as he is about to let go of the ki and end the man's life, something barrels into his back, knocking him into the dirt with an _oomf _of surprise and sending the ki harmlessly flying into the air.

And _Azuki_ is on top of him, _Azuki_ is clawing at his face_,_ _Azuki_ is hissing and spitting and screeching like a Saiyan female trying to protect her offspring. Her nails dig into his face in a fighting style that she has only engaged in when particularly playful or particularly out of her mind.

Radditz guesses it is the latter.

But how, how is she alive? All his mind can register is shock and triumph and excitement and it takes him a moment for his mind to clear and realize that Azuki has stopped her cat-like tactics and is getting ready to bash his face in, fist poised.

"Azuki!" he shouts, afraid of hitting her because she looks so _frail._

Azuki freezes, dim eyes clearing for a moment, and she whispers, "Radditz?"

She goes utterly limp, body falling on top of him.

Radditz scrambles to his feet and picks up Azuki under his arm. After a half-second of indecision, he grabs the unconscious stranger, hefting him up over his shoulder. Radditz blasts in the air in the direction of the compound, spiking his ki so that Vegeta will sense his urgency.

* * *

Vegeta strolls casually from the front entrance of the compound, sure that whatever Radditz is freaking out about is simply an over-exaggeration and nothing to worry about. Bulma flitters worriedly at his side, and he rolls his eyes, knowing that he should not have said anything to her.

He squints into the bright sun and sees Radditz descending, two still bodies over his shoulder and under his arm.

One of them looks eerily familiar.

_Impossible_, he tells himself. _Do not let emotions make you so foolish._

And yet, as he grows closer, he can sense even Bulma's recognition, and knows it is no trick of the eye. Fear and distrust feels him; is this one of Frieza's tricks? An imposter, a clone, something to live with them and learn all of their secrets and –

But no. Frieza would not consider them a threat. He would not go to such extents.

Relief and something dangerously close to happiness fills him.

"Go get Heyte," Vegeta commands, and Bulma nods, hurrying back into the compound.

By the time Radditz touches down, an entire team of edgy scientists (plus Heyte and Madaekal) are ready to accept their new patient(s). "She isn't in her right mind, Prince Vegeta," says Radditz, and Vegeta nods, having already feared and guessed at this. "She attacked me when I tried to kill that man."

Bulma reemerges from outside, her eyes falling on both Azuki and the stranger, and Vegeta can see the way her eyes light up immediately, the way her ki spikes, the way her face breaks out into a dazzling grin. "Goku!" she screams, and Vegeta tenses as she launches herself at the man with a squeal of delight.

"Bulma!" Goku responds in equal happiness, wrapping his arms around her torso. A growl emits from Vegeta and his tail bristles, but Bulma ignores him, fussing over the man's state of weakness like a worried mother.

"Goku, come over here, they'll fix you right up - "

"Oh, Bulma, oh I can't believe you're here, Bulma - "

Bulma hushes him, shooing him towards two of the scientists that were prepared to take him. The wide smile does not leave her face and she can't stop touching his arm as if afraid he'll vanish if she doesn't hold on. Goku stands dizzily with two of the scientists on either side of him, holding laser-like weapons and sawing off his ki restraints, checking his body for any minor injuries that they can tend to before dumping him in the tank. Bulma grins from beside him, her eyes sparkling.

Vegeta turns to his sister, no longer wishing to watch the disgusting display, and watches two of the men pick her up with mixed feelings. From the moment he had seen her, he knew that she had been in Frieza's chambers; he could have done so much to her_._ As he watches, Azuki's eyes blink open, and he tenses at the all too familiar but terrifyingly strong look in her eyes.

The scientists had been about to saw off her restraints like they had done with the other man, but Azuki catches one sight of the guns and starts screaming, twisting out of their grips. Vegeta grabs Bulma by the arm and pushes her behind him as his sister frantically screams, trying to break away from the strangers holding her and escape, a wild look in her eyes.

Vegeta steps forward and shouts, "Azuki!" But her eyes rake over him with nothing close to recognition, still waving her arms and kicking and frantically trying to escape like a caged animal.

Her raving eyes catch sight of the man that had been with her, supported by two strangers, and her movements become more frantic. "No! No!" She screams, and finally breaks free, stumbling forward.

Vegeta watches with something akin to helplessness as his sister pushes past him and towards the stranger. "Azuki!" the man screams, moving away from his scientists and towards her. "Azuki, it's fine! They're helping, it's fine!"

Azuki immediately stills. The man approaches her slowly, and Vegeta scowls hatefully as he tenderly leans down in front of her. "I'm fine. You're fine. We're safe."

He motions forward the men that had been trying to chop off her ki restraints, and they (with good reason) creep towards her like she is an animal that needs to be approached slowly. Very gently, they make quick work of her restraints and pick her up, placing her on a stretcher and hurrying her back into the building.

"No worries," says Heyte from next to him, and Vegeta actually flinches, having been so intensely watching the exchange. "I have the utmost confidence in our healers. She will be fine."

Vegeta nods and watches as the strange new man is led away; the man who calmed down his own sister in the way that he could not.

* * *

Goku allows the two men to lead him down the hallway, not trusting enough of his own legs to support him. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he does a quick scan of the building, hoping that he can sense any familiar ki's now that he is so close.

Goku halts, confusing his guides, face contorting into something close to pain.

_It can't be._

Wrenching his arms from the two men, Goku commands his screaming limbs to guide him one last distance, racing down the hallway that branched off to the left, ignoring the shocked cries of the men (they had, after all, just witnessed a crazy Saiyan go berserk, so were a bit apprehensive of him).

Goku wills his beaten legs to go faster, faster, _faster,_ flying towards a door at the end of the hall with a speed that had, a few moments ago, seemed impossible.

The door slams open before he can reach it, and a boy with eyes much too old for his face stares back at him, face split in the widest grin Goku has ever seen.

"DAD!"

"_Gohan_!" Goku cries, voice cracking and betraying his desperation to feel his son in his arms. Gohan seems to sense this and flies the remaining distance into his father's arms, burying his face into Goku's chest. Goku wraps his arms around his child, falling to his knees, burying his face into his son's black hair and wetting it with tears.

_My son._

Gohan pulls back much too soon but Goku lets him, desperate to see his son's face, wiping away the tears that stained his cheeks. "Dad, is Mom with you? Is Mom here?" his son asks, clear desperation and hope in his eyes, and Goku's face falls.

_How do you tell your only child that his mother is dead?_

"Gohan," he begins, but he does not need to continue. Gohan sees it in his defeated eyes, in his face, in his tears.

"No," his son whispers, pulling away from him and stepping back, and Goku's body cries out in protest, desperately wishing the boy back in his arms. "No!" Gohan shouts, a different kind of tears spilling down onto his cheeks.

"Gohan, I –"

Gohan turns, racing back to the door, hiding his true emotions from his father. Goku, who has seen much, realizes that his son wants to hide his sadness from him. But why? Since when do they hide emotions from one another?

Only then does he notice the young girl peering out of the door, shy but sympathetic eyes watching them, and once Gohan reaches her she flings open the door and pulls him into her arms, and Gohan buries his face into her shirt.

Goku watches the exchange in helplessness. _He has found someone else to confide in_, Goku realizes. _He will not show me his sadness._

_He has replaced me._

* * *

Bulma had desperately asked him to stay, to wait, having seen Azuki's display with her own eyes. She doesn't know his sister, though, and does not know that the show was only a much worse example of how Azuki's mental state had always been.

His sister should be emerging from the tank any moment, and Heyte had requested that Goku be the first and only face that she see when she first emerged.

That was fucking ridiculous. He was_ - is - _ her brother.

Vegeta peers around the corner, only to realize that this Goku is already there, waiting for Azuki to emerge, patiently sitting in front of the tank.

Something stops him. He had come intent on being the first damn person that his sister saw and was determined not to be deterred, but his feet seem glued to the ground, now, and he stays behind the wall as Azuki emerges in nothing but spandex shorts and a bra, dripping the healing fluids all over the floor.

He knows that the man can sense him, but he is either too smart or too stupid, and does not acknowledge him.

Azuki steps out, wringing her hair and resting her eyes on Goku, the ghost of a smile on her face. He stands and looks respectfully away, and she steps around him, grabbing her armor off of the shelf. There is something different about her movement; she had once slinked about gracefully like a cat, but now there is something jerky about her movements. As a warrior, he is trained to pick out the abnormal things; like the barely noticeable limp in her step and the way her hands tremble, but he is confident that this will go away in time. Her ki is, now, about the level of Radditz's, but she will bring it back to its former level and she will recover.

Azuki pulls on the bottom half of her armor but her hands shake as she tries to latch on her breastplate, fumbling like a novice.

Without a word, Goku moves towards her, reaching out for the armor. At first she jerks away, as Vegeta had expected her to do, but Goku persists, and she finally lets her hands rest at her sides as he clips it into place.

Vegeta has never seen her display the willingness to accept help like this, before. He can smell no desire in the air or any suggestions that they are mated or engaging in anything of the sort. Not that Azuki would let her own mate even do such a thing. He cannot wrap his mind around it; this is _not_ his sister, surely this is a trick put into play by Frieza himself?

"_Idish_," she mutters fondly, calling the man an idiot in the Saiyan language, and the man softly smiles_._ Vegeta can tell that he knows what it means. "You can go now," Azuki whispers, turning her back to him_,_and Goku nods_,_ turning to leave_._Vegeta brushes past the man with a hateful glare (jealousy?) as he leaves, stepping into the room. For a moment he just stands there, having forgotten everything he had planned to say. "What do you want?" Azuki finally bites, breaking the silence.

"You're alive," he says rather stupidly, but it seems ridiculously appropriate to say, seeing as she had only just arrived looking rather like death.

"Indeed," Azuki replies, refusing to look him in the eye, which infuriates Vegeta. She is not supposed to look away. She is supposed to stare him down. "If you come seeking forgiveness, you will not find it."

"Forgiveness?" Vegeta scoffs, needing a moment to recover from her rather blunt message. "I do not require your forgiveness, nor do I want it."

She finally turns, eyes meeting his and blazing in that way that he is all too familiar with. Vegeta smirks, having successfully gotten her angry, not faltering at the way her fists clench and her chin juts out in defiance. "How _dare you_," she hisses, advancing towards him. He does not move. "You left me behind to _die_."

"And you would not have done the same?" he asks, knowing the answer the moment her eyes flicker like a dying flame. "I could not have come back for you without being captured myself, and you know. Besides, you live. You survived."

"Survived?" Azuki barks out a rather insane laugh. "You think I _survived_? You're quite wrong, _brother_," she spits the word out like it is an insult, and Vegeta feels his anger rising. "I most certainly did not survive."

"You're here, are you not?" He argues, voice rising, leaving behind the calm demeanor.

"He has ruined me!" Azuki screams, jagging a finger at Vegeta, who flinches as his sensitive ears protest to her screech. "HE HAS RUINED ME!"

Vegeta narrows his eyes, knowing all too well what she means. That glint in her eye that had been ever-present now takes up her entire look, her entire demeanor, and he cannot deny it. "He will die," Vegeta says simply.

"He will die, and I will kill him."

"No," Vegeta cuts in, voice ice cold, tail bristling and unraveling from his waist to thrash angrily behind him. "You will not. That will be my honor."

"We shall see about that," she spits, and then brushes by him, not looking back.

Even though his sister is alive, Vegeta can't help but think that Frieza has still taken her away from him**.**

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Review!  
**


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N: Sorry about the wait on this one, guys. For me, school started last Monday, which, quite unfortunately, means updates might come a bit later than usual. I'll try to get them up faster, though!**

**Many thanks to Naiel, who made time to beta this one! Thanks so much!  
**

Chapter 26

Bulma doesn't look up when he enters the room, sullen and brooding. She's propped up on the pillows of their bed, tablet resting up on her knees as she scrolls through something. "I was just mapping out what planets we should visit and in what order we should do them," Bulma says, eyes still on her work. Their trip had been postponed for a few days due to the new guests. When he does not answer, she looks up in surprise, meeting his dark and brooding eyes and understanding all at once. She begins to speak, but Vegeta cuts her off, not wanting to hear a speech.**  
**

"You will never be with Azuki alone. Swear it," he commands, looking at her intensely to convey the importance of the message, and she swallows.

"Vegeta, I hardly think that that's necessary – you think she'll hurt me?"

Vegeta turns his back to her to run his hand through his hair, so tired and sick of all of these exhausting mental games. He doesn't trust Azuki alone with her, doesn't trust her at all. If she were blaming him, then what would prevent her from blaming Bulma? Azuki had always been quite the jealous child, and he doesn't doubt that she has come to the conclusion that he picked Bulma over his own sister (there is a nagging guilt, because it is so true). "She's fucked up and I don't trust her at all. Swear it," he commands coldly, turning back to face her.**  
**

"I swear, but she – she won't. I know she won't."

"You saw her today, did you not?" Vegeta asks, thinking of Azuki frantically breaking away from the scientists trying to get to that _Goku _character; thinks of the way her eyes raked over him with no manner of recognition. "She has been sent her over the edge. Don't expect her to be the same."

He feels guilt unlike anything he had ever felt before, and he hates himself for it. It's true that he left her behind, it's true that he picked Bulma over his sister, it's true that he has never treated her right, that his own hands have been stained with her blood countless times. But _she _would have left him behind too, and she knows it.

But it does not change the mistakes; it changes nothing.

"Come here," Bulma says, placing the tablet on the table next to the bed and smiling suggestively. "You need to relax."

Vegeta smirks, happily joining her on the bed, leaving his headaches behind.

* * *

The reunion of everyone with Azuki is a rather anticlimactic affair. Bulma is grinning at Goku and Gohan, who are playing an old game that they used to play back on Earth. She doesn't miss the flash of sadness in Goku's eyes when Gohan delightedly turns to Videl after he wins, or the deep despair in Gohan's eyes. Vegeta, Radditz, and Nappa are stretching, preparing to enter one of the chambers of the facilities to spar.

Azuki strolls in, and everyone looks up. She holds her head rather high, smirking in a way that suggests of nothing abnormal about her. It is her first meeting with the others after emerging from the rejuvenation tank, as she had gone straight to bed after her talk with Vegeta. She passes by Bulma without even a glance (Bulma, despite herself, feels a shiver go up her spine) and slaps Nappa's cheek playfully. As she passes Radditz her tail curls around his thigh and she smiles rather suggestively at him. When he leans in eagerly towards her, she uncoils her tail and walks right by, leaving a rather confused and disappointed Saiyan behind her.

"Meet your brother," Azuki says to Goku with a wave in Radditz's direction, smirking at the shocked looks she receives.

"What are you talking about?" Vegeta growls, and Azuki ignores him.

Only when Goku says, "What?" with a rather stupid look on her face does Azuki respond.

"_Idish_, its quite simple. Radditz's brother was sent to Earth when he was very young. You are from Earth, are you not? And you are obviously a Saiyan, as Gohan is your son and he has a tail, and you told me that you also had a tail. So," Azuki spreads her arms out, clearly loving all of the attention, "say hello to your brother, Radditz."

"Kakarrot?" Radditz whispers, eyes raking over his brother's lean frame in shock and a bit of distrust.

"Um, what? I'm Goku."

"If what she says is true, then your Saiyan name is Kakarrot." Vegeta says, annoyed by the vacant look in the other Saiyan's face. _Another Saiyan?_ he thinks. _How many could be out there?_

"Then Radditz is Gohan's uncle," Bulma points out with a wave at the boy, smiling as Gohan and Radditz lock eyes with equal amounts of shock.

"Yes yes, it's all rather strange, don't you think? Small Universe and all that. Goku, come spar with me." Azuki says, tugging on Goku's sleeve and pulling him towards the training chambers. "Gohan, you come too." Gohan hops to his feet and chases after them, excited.

Azuki is stronger than Goku, but that is easily explained by the fact that he was in the chambers for much longer than she. He is not as weaker as she would like, even with this fact, so Azuki determines to be much stronger than him when they both reach their full potential.

Gohan can beat both of them, now. Goku seems rather put off by the fact that his own son can best him, but congratulates Gohan as if it makes him truly thrilled. But Azuki can see through it.

Radditz joins them with a cocky grin, saying, "I'd like to be able to beat you, Azuki, while I still have the chance."

"Yeah, right," she taunts, clenching her fists and smirking at him while Gohan and Goku spar in the other corner. "I refuse to lose to the likes of you."

Nappa eventually strolls in with a superior smirk, thoroughly enjoying that his ki is higher than Azuki's, giving Radditz and his brother the chance to fight.

"Come on, Kakarrot, is that it?" Radditz taunts as he easily dodges the other man's jabs, smirking. Goku, undeterred, just grins back and picks up his speed. Azuki can't help but watch them out of the corner of her eye, and, in return, gets a few more punches in the face than she would've liked.

Soon Piccolo walks in, popping his neck and eyeing the two spars with a critical eye. Goku grins and waves, having already reunited with the Namek, and Azuki stops her fight to cock one head to the side in confusion. "Who are you?" she asks rather bluntly.

"Piccolo," the Namek responds with equal forwardness, his eyes evaluating Azuki just as her's are. "Who are _you_?"

"Azuki," she answers, returning her gaze to Nappa, suggesting that he is not worth her attention. Piccolo scowls, turning to Gohan and nodding his head to the sky, suggesting a spar. Gohan nods, following his mentor into the air.

Their three battles soon turn into a giant free-for-all, all of them swerving and punching and kicking and blocking. Nappa guffaws as Radditz utterly misses him, only to be elbowed in the back of the neck by Azuki. Azuki smirks at her temporary victory, only to be hit with a vicious right hook in the jaw by Goku. Goku barely has time to turn and block Gohan's punch with his knee, grinning at his son.

Azuki feels a hand clench around her tail; she has long since trained herself not to feel pain when someone touches it but there is something different – she feels red eyes, feels Frieza's death grip as he laughs, taking great delight in snapping her tail, sending the most unbearable pain wracking through her body.

She can _feel _it.

Azuki screams, turning and attacking the green-skinned Namek, who withdraws in shock at the rather intense ki-spike of his opponent.

"Azuki!" Radditz screams, grabbing desperately for her arm, sensing the change in emotion of his companion. He manages to get her in his grasp, but the second his fingers wrap around her bicep, she snaps.

She turns on him, reminding him very much of when she had attacked him in the desert. He flies back in shock as she scrambles for his throat, screaming, "Don't _touch _me!"

"Dad, do something!" Gohan is screaming, and Goku desperately flies after Azuki, trying to reach her. He puts on a burst of speed and gets within grasp, grabbing her by the shoulder and yanking her back.

"Azuki! It's Goku, Azuki _stop_!"

She sees his eyes, sees his worry, and stops, blinking up at him. Goku lets go and Azuki immediately floats to the ground, turning and leaving the room hurriedly. Radditz gives Goku a heated glare. Goku doesn't know what he did to deserve _that_, and then follows.

Radditz pushes the door open to the room that she had run to, stepping inside with the knowledge that she must have sensed him coming. Why had he been unable to calm her? Why had she responded to Kakarrot, but not to him? Her back is to him and he waits for her to speak.

"Do not judge me," she begins harshly, turning to glare at him. He is shocked by the hatred in her gaze. "You cannot judge me."

"I don't judge you," Radditz says softly, refusing to let his sympathy take up his expression, because he knows that that would piss her off. "It's understandable."

Usually with Azuki, their exchanges are snarky remarks and quick-witted comebacks and suggestive comments with wiggling eyebrows. But this is different.

Azuki breaks his gaze, blinking rapidly at the far wall. "I just…feel so much hatred," she whispers.

And he has never seen her so vulnerable; the desire courses through him with terrible need, and he almost advances on her right there. He must stop himself and shut his eyes for a moment; she would never forgive him. He must _wait_, wait until she is ready. "For who?" he asks, opening his eyes again, to find her watching him.

She shrugs. "Vegeta. Bulma. Fuck, I don't even know _why_, but I even hate Nappa and you and – _shit –_ I think I even fucking hate Gohan and Videl, and they haven't done a damn thing. Why do I feel so much hate? I can't -" Azuki stops herself from saying more, apparently having almost said too much to him.

He can feel the jealousy pooling and twisting inside of him at the fact that she had not said Kakarrot's name, but he forces it down. "It'll pass," he says, hoping that it will, because his damn name was in the list. "We'll get through this, Azuki. We've done it before."

She blinks up at him, the faintest of smiles gracing her face.

* * *

"No, Kakarrot means idiot."

"I thought _idish_ means idiot."

"_Idish_ and Kakarrot are practically the same word."

"You're lying."

Azuki smirks at Goku, who glares good-heartedly at her. "What's the word for love?" he asks.

"There isn't a word for love."

"There isn't?"

"Nope."

"So Saiyans don't love?"

"Saiyans are capable of love; I think you know that. There just isn't a word."

"Oh."

"So why do you keep looking at Gohan with those sad little kitty cat eyes?"

"It's _puppy dog_, and I don't know what you're talking about."

Azuki leans back on the reclining chair that she is situated in, propping her feet up on the coffee table in front of her. Both she and Goku had found a rather warm lounge, and all of the occupants had vacated upon catching sight of Azuki, not that she minded.

"It's because of Videl, isn't it?" Azuki taunts. "You're jealous that she's getting all of his attention."

"Am not!" Goku splutters, but she can see the truth in his eyes.

"The kid's in love. Aren't you sentimental people supposed to like that shit?"

Goku runs a hand through his hair in exasperation, ignoring Azuki's calculating gaze. "I'm happy for him."

"You feel replaced."

"Do not."

"Go talk to him."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"_Wow_, since when are you so fucking stubborn?"

"I'm not!"

"Go talk to him!"

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Um, I don't know, maybe 'Hey brat, pay more attention to me'."

"I don't think that that would work."

"Why not?"

"It's a bit…rude."

Azuki cocks her head to the side, watching Goku with a smirk. "Isn't that the point?"

"Um…no?"

Azuki envies Goku in a way that he will probably never know. He is so innocent, so loving, so carefree. His biggest problem is that his son has found someone else to focus on, to love. And, for some reason, she has the nagging suspicion that the man would possibly risk his life for her. No, it isn't a suspicion; she _knows_ he would. But why? She has given him nothing but problems and headaches. Why does he care for her so much?

She likes him because he will never betray her. She likes him because she knows that he does not lie to her. She likes him because she can _trust _him, and she is usually so afraid to trust.

But why does he like her? Is it pity? Does he simply feel sorry for her, so acts as if he likes her? But _no_, they've been through too much, experienced too much together that it would be impossible not to, in some way, bond.

"I mean, I don't want to be selfish, you know? How do I just go up to him and…"

"Say that you're jealous?" Azuki offers with a shrug of her shoulders. "I guess I see what you mean. It'd be rather petty."

Goku lets his head fall in his hands with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know what to do."

Azuki surveys him with a rather unsympathetic gaze, leaning her head back on the chair. "Me either, Goku," she sighs. "Me either."

It is this scene that Vegeta walks in on, and Azuki immediately stiffens, averting her gaze from her brother and staring fixedly at the table in front of her. "We're leaving," Vegeta commands, his eyes flaring as they rake over the two Saiyans sitting so comfortably together. "Board the ship."

* * *

All of Frieza's ships were equipped with trackers so that Frieza could find them, if need be. Unfortunately for Ginyu, Vegeta was one step ahead of him. The tracker on their ship had obviously been ripped off, and he can pick up no signal from their ship.

But Frieza is one step ahead of Vegeta.

Frieza implants trackers in his men, too. He rarely ever uses them, and Ginyu suspects that Frieza hadn't even remembered that they were there, but Ginyu does. Frieza had stopped implanting them shortly after Azuki's was put in, thinking that none of his soldiers would dare attempt to get away from him. Ginyu had not reminded Frieza; if this mission went badly (though he has no plans of _that _happening), he would need to be able to escape, as well.

There is one inside both Vegeta and Azuki. And, much to Ginyu's pleasure, both of the signals are coming from the same place.

Ginyu smirks. _You're mine_.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is pathetically short, I know, especially after the long period between the last update. Because of this, I will, hopefully, have the next chapter up in just a few days. Hope you liked it!  
**


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: Fast update in apology for the lateness and shortness of the last chapter**

**Thanks to Naiel, who got this back to me so quickly!  
**

Chapter 27

Ginyu licks his lips greedily; he can _taste_ Vegeta's blood. The Ginyu Force's ship is much faster than Vegeta's, and they are so close, now, so very close. Frieza will be most pleased, Ginyu is confident.

He has a plan, too, as they close the gap between the two ships. Soon, so soon, the blue-haired bitch will be dead. And both Vegeta and Azuki will have a permanent rip between them; they will never be so formidable again, because they will never trust each other again.

* * *

Piccolo opts to stay behind to train the troops that will be incoming and make sure that they are up to par and will be formidable allies. Farewells are made as they leave, and Heyte offers them a four-foot tall, intricate glass vase ("as a reminder of where you're allegiances lie"). Vegeta stares at it as if it has offended him in some way, and Bulma steps in to accept it graciously.

Azuki's room is her's again; however, its like she isn't even on the ship. During the day she sleeps, and at night she comes out to occupy the GR by herself, hardly ever crossing paths with the other residents of the ship. Once, Goku goes and knocks on her door, calling softly, "Azuki?" She does not grace him with her presence

It is when Bulma is making breakfast that Azuki finally emerges.

Azuki approaches her, and Bulma immediately stiffens. _Never be with her alone_, Vegeta had said. Azuki used to be one of the safest people to be around on the ship, but now Bulma is wary of her, and for good reason. She wonders, fleetingly, where Vegeta is, but then immediately dismisses the thought. Azuki won't hurt her…will she?

She tries to ignore the Saiyan, who is standing so close to her that she can feel her piercing gaze watching her move about the kitchen, preparing their breakfast.

"I could break you…so easily," Azuki finally says nonchalantly, as if it were nothing, and for a moment Bulma freezes. But then she remembers that Azuki would expect such a reaction, and is probably wanting it, so she keeps moving, smirking slightly to put on a show for the teen, but not responding. Azuki grins, delighted by her prey's stubbornness, and moves closer. Bulma tries not to flinch as Azuki takes a deep whiff of her hair, and then laughs outright. "You smell like sex," she says, voice teasing, then adds, "and Vegeta." She laughs again.

Azuki doesn't move away, and Bulma stops preparing the meal, slowly side-stepping around Azuki to get out of the close proximity, uncomfortable. "Do you think I would do it?" Azuki asks, following her towards the table, where Bulma begins setting out plates.

"Do what?" Bulma asks, knowing exactly what Azuki means.

"Kill you."

She doesn't let Azuki see the fear, does not let her know that her words make Bulma's insides squirm. Instead, she turns, dropping what she is doing, and looks into Azuki's black eyes. They are so like her brother's, except they swim with something different, something…evil. Azuki is smirking, leaning casually against the table, her thin torso dotted with new scars from when she has been in Frieza's chambers. Bulma's eyes rake over them for a moment and Azuki senses this, but doesn't respond. She just leans back, folding her arms across her chest.

"You wouldn't." Bulma says, with a touch of angry determination in her tone, and Azuki cocks her head to the side.

"I guess not. It'd be such a waste of a pretty face, hm? Contrary to popular belief, I do want Vegeta to be happy, you know."

Bulma turns to face Azuki so suddenly that the teenager seems shocked, eyes widening. "Why do you hate him, now?"

Azuki's smirk falters, her hands clenching by her sides. She tilts her head to the side slightly so that she can look away from Bulma's searching eyes, but Bulma still sees the slight tremble in Azuki's facade. "You wouldn't understand."

* * *

Vegeta, scowling from within the Gravity Room, visibly relaxes once Kakarrot's ki leads Azuki's away and down to the chambers, just outside where he is. He had felt Azuki's ki near Bulma immediately, and had let it slide for a moment. Perhaps she would just get a snack and leave? Before he could decide to go make sure everything was fine, Kakarrot had beaten him to it, and was now leading Azuki back down to the training chambers. Cursing and plunging back into his training, he wonders when a stranger had become more in control of his sister than her own brother.

* * *

Azuki joins them for lunch, taking a seat at her normal place and glaring forlornly at the food Bulma had prepared. Gohan sits delightedly next to her, with Goku on the other side, not even aware that he had taken Radditz's place. Radditz scowls, opting to sit next to Bulma, instead.

"Um…I learned how to make a ki blast today, Gohan," Videl says awkwardly, smiling at Gohan, who had been locked in the GR for most of the morning and had not witnessed this.

"Really?" Gohan feigns enthusiasm. It is not that he isn't proud, but the tension is so thick that he can't really summon the happiness that he is supposed to feel. "That's great, Videl!"

"Took her a damn long time, pathetic human," says Nappa, stabbing with more force than necessary at his vegetables (Videl had been teaching him how to use silverware). Videl sticks her tongue out at him.

Azuki watches all this with a raised eyebrow, then laughs outright. Everyone startles, staring at her harsh gaze with curiosity, wondering what kind of explosion is about to happen. "When did you learn to use silverware?" she asks Nappa, and the table breathes a collective (although hidden) sigh of relief

"Oh, uh," Nappa stutters, staring at the fork in his hand and setting it down on the table, then mutters something incomprehensible.

"Fucking soft, is what you all are. One big fucking family, hm?" Azuki asks, grinning delightedly as she chews her food. "Vegeta's got Bulma (never thought the fucker would fall in love), Bulma's got Goku, Goku's got Gohan, Gohan's got Videl, Videl's got Nappa and Radditz…just getting on quite well, huh?"

"Azuki," Vegeta growls in warning, shoulders tense. Bulma's eyes narrow at the teenage Saiyan.

"Fan-fucking-tastic. There something you want to say, brother?" Her eyes sparkle at Vegeta, and she smirks.

Vegeta snarls, hands clenching the table. "You need to fucking stop," he demands, eyes hard. "Bulma," Vegeta waves a hand in Bulma's direction, "was raped five times as much as you, and I don't see her going batshit crazy on everything in sight."

"Oh, really?" Azuki cries, tossing her head back and laughing crazily. "How fucking _perfect_ of her, what a _great_ person. I'll aspire to be like her more, is that what you want?"

"Your anger is unjustified!" Vegeta shouts, getting riled, nearly standing. "You have said you would've done the same thing! You have _admitted_ it, so why are you so fucking angry?"

Azuki's face is growing redder by the moment, and Bulma keeps her eyes pinned to the table, hoping not to be drawn into the argument again. She, just as much as Vegeta, does not understand the teenage Saiyan, but this confrontation, here and now, is not what she wants.

"If you were the brother I used to know, you would understand!" Azuki screeches, hands digging into the table and leaving marks.

"When have I _ever_ understood you?" Vegeta shouts, finally rising, chair falling back. Azuki seems absolutely startled by this and her mouth even opens in bewilderment. "Quit your fucking bitching and whining, no one wants to hear it!"

It is just what Azuki wants to hear, and she rises, laughing crazily. "Bitching? Am I bitching? Well, when I kill Frieza – " There is a collective gasp of shock from both Nappa and Radditz, "I'll slap _you _down in the torture chambers and break _your_ tail and lock_ you _up in the cage and make _you_ go through withdrawal and not let _you _sleep and we'll see if you bitch, how about that?"

"Kakarrot was in the chambers for much longer than you, if what he said is true, and I do not hear him bitching."

"Well he's just fucking perfect, isn't he?" Azuki says, voice rising, and slaps her hands down on the table and leans over it, staring Vegeta down. It is the first time she had spoken ill of the other Saiyan in front of them. "Just noble and all that shit. Good for fucking Kakarrot. But he's jealous of his damn son's _girlfriend _because she's getting all of his attention and he feels replaced - "

"Azuki, stop!" Goku shouts, startled.

" – and he's terrified that Frieza's going to kill his son, just like Cold killed his wife, he's fucking _scared_ as shit that he won't be able to protect him and have to watch him die and it'll send him over the edge, will positively _destroy_ him just like me – "

"Enough!" Goku finally shouts, raising his voice for the first time since Azuki had met him. Her eyes flash at him, nostrils flaring. Azuki takes one look at them all, picks up her plate (still half-full) and flings it across the room. It shatters against the far wall, sprinkling food on to the floor. Gohan's eyes are wide as saucers, staring at his father, lip trembling.

"Gohan – " Goku starts, turning to his child, but Gohan hops up and sprints from the room. Goku follows after him immediately, slipping inside the boy's room before the door can close. Azuki, eyes blazing, stalks out of the room, and Radditz stands to follow after her. Vegeta, chest heaving, storms off, and (after only a moment's hesitation) Bulma races after him.

Nappa and Videl look down at their plates, then meet each other's eyes from across the table. There is an awkward silence until Nappa asks, "Um, do you want seconds?"

* * *

Goku races into his son's room, heart pounding in his chest. Why? Why had Azuki had to crack and spill everything that he had ever told her? True, it had not been too terribly bright of him to tell her those things, but he wasn't known for his foresightedness. Gohan turns, wipes his sleeve across his nose, and says softly, "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Gohan," Goku says sadly, kneeling in front of his boy and pulling him into his arms. Gohan does not resist, melting into his father's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he cries, voice cracking. "I didn't think – I didn't know it bothered you, I just would look at you and think of Mom, and I couldn't – "

"Shh, Gohan, I don't – what Azuki said – it's not a lie, but – I'm not mad at you, Gohan, I could never be mad at you. I understand."

"You're scared," Gohan whispers, voice muffled from being pressed against Goku's shirt. "You're scared you'll lose me. Daddy – I'm scared I'm going to lose you, too, just after I found you."

"We'll be fine," Goku whispers. "You're so strong, Gohan, _so_ strong, and that's all I could ever ask for. We'll – if – I'm not good at this Gohan, I'm not."

"I know, Dad," says Gohan, pulling away from his father's embrace so he can look him in the eye. "I – I love you."

"I love you too, Gohan. I do. I missed you so much."

* * *

Radditz has to duck as he enters Azuki's room, a particularly large lamp flying right over his head and smashing into the door he had just slammed shut. Azuki is on a rampage, tearing across her room and flinging everything she can get her hands on.

"Azuki, stop it!" He shouts, grabbing her left wrist and pulling her away from the bed that she had just been about to lift. "Enough!"

She turns, beating her fists against his chest. Her eyes do not have the deranged edge that they did when she attacked him the last two times, so he knows that she is entirely aware of herself and her surroundings. He doesn't let go.

"Let go, Radditz!" she screeches, stopping her barrage against his chest and trying to wrench herself free. She sinks her nails into his fingers but he just holds on tighter, glaring her down.

"Azuki, calm down."

"No!" she screams, rather childishly in his own opinion, so he grabs her other wrist and squeezes them painfully (he secretly enjoys the way he can control her, as she had always been the one who could knock him to the floor). Azuki rears back her head and spits in his face. Rage surges inside him, so he slams her head rather forcefully into the headboard of her bed. Azuki stops moving, dazed, and he lets go of her wrists, wondering how painfully she's going to kill him for that as he wipes off his face.

She pulls herself up, resting her back against the wall facing him, then leans her head back, silently beating it against the wall. "Fuck," she whispers.

"Do you realize what you just did?" Radditz shouts, running a hand through his long hair, for once glad that the walls are soundproof. Frieza had had some _serious_ foreshadowing to install that shit.

"Shut up!" Azuki screams, glaring at him hatefully. "I can't – I can't help it!"

"Bullshit! When have you ever had that bad of a meltdown? When have you ever hated Vegeta more than you hate…than you hate…than you hate Frieza?"

Azuki's eyes flash, and Radditz knows that he has hit a sore spot. Score one for him.

"I don't – " Azuki clenches her teeth, obviously not wanting to admit it, but she forces it out. "I don't hate him more than Frieza."

"Good," Radditz responds quite cheerfully, proud of himself. He sits down on the bed and Azuki scowls at him, sensing his change of mood.

"Do you think he loves her?"

"What?" Radditz asks, taken aback by Azuki's question. Azuki refuses to meet his eyes, instead looking at the door.

"Vegeta. Bulma."

"Oh. Um, I don't know. It seems strange to think of Vegeta loving – um, I mean – " Radditz tries to backtrack, sensing his mistake. Azuki's eyes narrow, though they still stay fixed on the door.

"Just say it. We always thought he's incapable of love. But – how come he found it so much easier to fall in love with her than to love his own sister? We've - we've never said _bushna_ to each other, you know."

It hits him so hard and fast that Radditz must stare at Azuki for a moment to collect his thoughts. Radditz had never known that Azuki longed for affection from her brother. Judging from the way she treated him, he had figured she was quite content with their mutual respect, but never anything more. The last time she had ever craved love from him was when she was younger and would watch him with the widest, most respecting eyes, as if he could do no wrong.

But she had always been a jealous girl, and had always done everything she did to gain Vegeta's respect. But had it not been for respect? Had it been for something deeper?

She didn't care that he had left her behind. She cares that he has greater affections for someone other than herself. She has been his sister her entire life, and Bulma has only been there for a fraction of that, and yet has gained more of his attention than Azuki ever had.

He had been there when she had asked Nappa what love meant, so many years ago.

"I do not think he loves her, Azuki," he says, just for her benefit because he hasn't the slightest idea what their Prince feels. He could be head-over-heels in love and never bat an eye, for all they knew.

He knows that Azuki does not believe his lie, but she shrugs. "Perhaps not. It doesn't matter, anyway. I don't care."

Radditz knows that it is a lie.

* * *

Bulma cracks the door open, slipping in after Vegeta and closing it softly behind her. He scowls rather fiercely at her, and she just smiles sadly, hugging him tightly. He does not respond, but does not push her away, and she whispers, "Tell me anything."

"I should kick her off the ship."

"What?" Bulma pulls away from him in shock, searching Vegeta's eyes for an explanation. "Why would you do that?" Although Bulma cannot deny that she might sleep a bit better with Azuki off the ship, she can't help but think that that would end disastrously.

He turns away from her, glaring at the wall. "I cannot trust her any longer. There is no telling what she will do. She's too unpredictable."

"Vegeta, she's still your sister. She's not going to betray you, or anything like that."

"How am I supposed to know that?" Vegeta responds, raking a hand through his hair, and Bulma can see how much the question bothers him. "It seems to me that she could switch sides without even realizing what she is doing."

"She would never join Frieza. You know that."

"Perhaps not now, but what about when she completely submerges herself into the madness? What about when she no longer has lucid moments? What about when – when _that_ – is how she is all the time?"

Bulma sighs softly, resting her forehead against Vegeta's back. "I don't think it would help anything if you dumped her off on some random planet. She might feel as if you were leaving her behind, again."

Vegeta curses, and Bulma knows that he can't argue with her logic. She takes his hand, pulling him towards the bathroom. He consents, and Bulma silently undresses him, pushing him into the shower. She turns the hot water on, lathering Vegeta's sweaty body and rubbing his back in soothing circles. He sighs in contentment, and Bulma smiles.

"Everything will be fine. We'll all help. Radditz, Goku, Videl, Nappa…She's surrounded by people who love her, Vegeta. She'll learn that."

"People who love her." He repeats in slight confusion, as if the statement truly baffles him, closing his eyes as her hands go farther down his body.

"Yes. Once Frieza is dead, she'll recover. Maybe – and hear me out – maybe if she killed him, she'd - "

"No," he snaps, immediately cutting her off, his eyes flashing open. "I will kill Frieza. No one else will. He is _mine_."

"Fine," Bulma sighs, biting her lip. "I know how much it means to you."

"Everything."

"Everything," she repeats, closing her eyes sadly.

* * *

The next few days Azuki continues to eat with them, but she does not speak. There is only the occasional comment from either Gohan, Goku, Bulma, or Videl, but it is forced and awkward and the table immediately falls silent again. Goku has long since forgiven Azuki for her outburst, but she had been going out of her way to avoid him, ignoring him if he tried to make conversation as they trained or ate, and locking herself in her room at any other time. Only Radditz was allowed occasional admittance into her room, and he was denied entry far more than he was granted it.**  
**

Finally, one week after her outburst, Vegeta declares that they need to land for fuel before they land at their first planet. They are coming upon a trade planet that was eerily similar to Earth; a blue gem amid the dark space, made almost entirely of oceans. Most of the cities in it, according to Vegeta, are built on stilts and situated in the midst of the crystal clear water. Bulma is delighted and tremendously excited to see such a beautiful planet, hovering over Nappa's shoulder as he prepares to land on one of the only beaches on the planet.

Nappa, out of pure habit, flicks on their more powerful shields as they prepare to land.

It is fate or luck or some higher force, but the second their shields flicker into place, a missile strikes the back of their craft.

Nappa grabs the back of Bulma's shirt as she flies forward with a scream, pulling her back and slamming her into the seat next to him. Bulma immediately clips the buckle into place and turns, gazing through the viewscreen behind them, only to see another laser headed straight for them.

"Hang on!" she screams, bracing herself against the armrests, and the ship jolts forward from the impact, giving Bulma severe whiplash.

The door to the controls flies open and Vegeta staggers in, shouting, "Is it Frieza?"

Nappa shakes his head, sending their ship downwards to the planet as the other occupants file into the control room, eyes fixated on the ship behind them. "The Ginyu Force."

Azuki's jaw clenches.

"I'll have to land, Prince Vegeta," Nappa shouts as Gohan warns of another incoming missile, and he pauses as everyone must brace themselves. "Their weapons are strong, we can't take them up here!"

"Do it," Vegeta says, nodding. "Land."

* * *

**A/N: Not sure if you guys remember, but _bushna_ basically means I love you in the Saiyan language, except more meaningful and complex. Hope you liked it!**


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! My computer got a virus and it took FOREVER to fix it.**

Chapter 28

**WARNING: There's some violence in this chapter, kiddies. In my own opinion, it isn't too terribly descriptive or anything, but just wanted to warn you.**

Nappa pulls up on the controls, directing their ship towards the beach, as everyone straps themselves in in preparation of a rough landing. It proves to be good judgement – just as Nappa is straightening out the ship over the strip of beach, another missile slams into their rear, sending the nose of the craft diving into the water and all of them jerking forward.

"Get out, everyone out!" Vegeta commands, ripping off his restraints and shooting to his feet as Ginyu's ship lands peacefully in the water, not a scratch on it. All manners of aliens are screaming, sprinting from the beach in bathing suits and leaving umbrellas and beach towels abandoned, terrified at the newcomers' abrupt landing.

"What?" Bulma screams, frantically trying to grab onto Vegeta, who is heading urgently for the door. _He_ wants _her_ to go out there?

"He can blow the whole damn ship up if he gets the shields down, everyone _OUT_!" Vegeta roars, disappearing from sight. Azuki had already exited the ship, way ahead of him, and he hurries to catch up so that she may not do anything too terribly stupid.

"Come on, Bulma, I'll make sure you don't get hurt," Goku says, offering her his hand. It is clear he is itching to get to the fight, so Bulma obeys, taking his hand and sprinting down the hall with him.

She steps out onto the now empty beach, the previous tourists barely dots in the distance as they race to get away from the ensuing battle that is obviously approaching. Azuki is standing in front, back stiff, Vegeta right behind her, regarding their new guests with hatred. Ginyu and his squad are floating over the ocean, Ginyu in the front with his men flanking him, and with a smirk on his face.

"It was terribly easy to find you, Prince Vegeta," Ginyu says, smiling calmly. "Almost a disappointment, to be honest."

Vegeta's hands clench, and he spits, "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's skip the stupid talk and dances, shall we?"

Ginyu pretends to pout, finally stepping down on the beach in front of them, his eyes flashing to Bulma and making her shiver. Vegeta sees this and bares his fangs. "Ah, so its true?" Ginyu laughs heartily. "Indeed. Well, Vegeta, I kind of do want to talk. You see, I don't really want to lose any of my men today – not that I'm anything less than confident, I assure you, its just, while you are obviously outmatched, I am a bit outnumbered (we may lose Guldo, not that it would be a terrible loss) – and I don't think you want – ah, _precious_ – blood to be spilled today, do you?" Ginyu's eyes flicker to Bulma at the end of his statement, and Goku shields her, tense. Bulma inches back towards the ship, severely wishing that she had risked being blown to bits.

"What are you getting at, Ginyu?" Azuki snarls, everything in her tense and itching for a fight. She must restrain herself from outright attacking, knowing that Ginyu has something up his sleeve and that she must wait.

"Ah, Azuki, it is good to see you again," Ginyu smiles as if she is one of his dear friends. "I can't help but wonder, however – how did you get out of the cell? No one has ever escaped, before, and I assure you that many have tried – and right under Frieza's nose, too!"

Azuki's eyes narrow and then widen, and Vegeta glances at her in question. He had never interrogated her about how she and Kakarrot had escaped (not that he had not been curious), because there had never been a time for it.

"You must have…had other help, hm? Someone must have let you out then, hm?"

Azuki's eyes flicker to Recoome, who had been trying oh so hard to keep his face still, unemotional, and it is all the reassurance that Ginyu needs. He moves so fast that no one anticipates it – Azuki actually flinches – and a second later his hand is clamped down on Recoome's neck, palm held to the back of his head. Panic seizes Azuki and she starts forward.

"No no, that wouldn't do, my dear," Ginyu taunts, pressing Recoome down and making him bend at the waist. Azuki's mouth opens and closes, her eyes flashing with rage and denial. Vegeta watches the exchange in confusion, not too terribly alarmed or concerned with Recoome's fate. The other members of the Force watch in calm detachment, and it is obvious that they had been made aware of the traitor in their midst.

"I admit that I was a bit disappointed," Ginyu says, still smiling, "but then, I thought, what a magnificent way to make negotiations! You see, dear Azuki, you are smart, are you not? You know what the price is. It is his head, or _her's_."

Bulma's eyes widen, and she takes a step back in shock and fear, knowing exactly what Ginyu means. However, not a second later, Azuki has appeared behind her and dug her hand into her neck, just like Ginyu was doing, forcing Bulma to the ground with a cry.

Azuki hesitates.

"Azuki, don't – " Goku begs, stepping forward with his arm outstretched. Vegeta's eyes are flashing with rage, but he says nothing.

"Don't move." Azuki grinds out through clenched teeth, crackling palm open next to Bulma's head in a clear threat.

"Azuki, please!" Gohan starts, but Azuki shoots him a glare so fast that his face falls and he becomes silent.

Her eyes meet Vegeta's, and it seems like they are so far away, like there is a chasm between them, a permanent rip. "Azuki," says her brother, voice low and threatening. "I will _kill_ you."

He will not beg. He will not beg for his mate's – or whatever the fuck she is – life, so he must not care too terribly. Right? He – he had no right to be angry with her, had no damn right if she saved Recoome's life in exchange for Bulma's.

Recoome saved Azuki's life. She must do the same. She _has_ too.

Ginyu smiles.

Vegeta says no more. He just glares at Azuki, eyes dark and dangerous and promising death if she should follow through. Azuki can run – she can kill Bulma, take Recoome, and run. She is faster than Vegeta; she can get away. She can abandon him. Leave him behind. Never look back. Start new, fresh, with Recoome by her side and a new beginning.

Azuki's hand begins to glow. She looks down into Bulma's eyes, into the eyes of someone who is about to die.

There is no fear, or resignation. There is only pain and sadness and a hint of betrayal. Azuki's brow furrows and her lip trembles, _she can do this._

Azuki prepares to fire.

"Azuki, _don't_!"

All eyes turn to Recoome. He looks uncharacteristically stern, and Azuki falters. His eyes are full of burning seriousness far beyond his normal intelligence. Ginyu makes to hush him, but Recoome can say whatever he wants, because Ginyu cannot kill him now.

"Do not kill her for Recoome," says the giant, his eyes somber. "Do not let the fate of the Universe be ruined for Recoome."

"But, Recoome – "

"Stop! Listen, _listen_ to Recoome. Captain Ginyu is trying to split Azuki and Vegeta up – "

"Shut up, idiot!"

"Because Azuki and Vegeta are a bigger threat together than apart. Please, do not ruin the chance of Frieza being killed, just for Recoome. Recoome…Recoome will never forgive Azuki if Azuki kills the girl," and Recoome shuts his mouth, having said his piece. He smiles very softly as her eyes stay focused on him, wavering, her hands shaking.

"I – I – " All eyes are on her. Vegeta is slowly inching forward, but her eyes fixate on him and he stops moving, chest heaving in anticipation and something else (is it fear? It can't be. Is he afraid?). Finally, after raking over everyone's desperate faces, she looks back to Recoome, looking calmly at her.

And Recoome smiles, knowing her decision. "Recoome forgives Azuki."

Azuki lets go, letting Bulma fall into the dirt. A half a second later Ginyu lets go as well, pushing Recoome into the dirt and sending a giant ki blast straight into the back of the giant's head. He slams into the dirt, still, the back of his head burning and smoking.

There is a horrible, terrible scream, and Azuki charges Ginyu, all flying fists and half-crazed kicks, moving quicker than she ever had. Ginyu falters, taking a step backwards, overwhelmed by her sheer fury.

Goku turns and shouts at Bulma to get back, then leaps into the fray. The Ginyu Force is terribly outnumbered, and it is clear quite soon that they are outmatched, despite Ginyu's cocky words.

Vegeta flies forward, immediately engaging Jeice before he can rush to the aid of his Captain. The red-skinned man's eyes widen, not expecting Vegeta's speed or power as he barrages him with a flurry of quick shots to the gut and face. Goku and Radditz team up against Burter, the brothers fighting surprisingly in-synch, having sparred so many times and learned each other's techniques. Nappa, Gohan, and Videl gang up on Guldo, each of them engaging him at different times in hopes of being able to overcome his time-freezing technique that Vegeta had warned them about.

Ginyu desperately catches the fist aiming for his face, but a second later it has been wrenched away and is flying at his gut. He jumps backwards, hoping to catch her off guard long enough to get on the offense. Only a second later Azuki is behind him, fist buried in his back. He grunts and turns, blocks the next blow with his knee then grabs her ankle, firing a ki blast at her face. She takes it full on but doesn't even falter, merely grabbing one of his horns with her free hand and wrenching his head forward, slamming her forehead into his own and making him see stars. His grip loosens and she vanishes, leaving him dazed and confused. 

A second later a fist is colliding with his cheek, and he wildly swings at her, but she is gone. He growls in frustration, taking to the skies and turning on his scouter so he can pinpoint her location. She phases directly in front of him just as he locks on to her position, once again driving him backwards with repetitive blows that never seem to end.

Vegeta is having a similarly easy time, toying with Jeice and particularly enjoying the way the man's face turns purple. Guldo had already been knocked out and Nappa had killed him, and Kakarrot had knocked Burter into unconsciousness, Radditz finishing him off since the other Saiyan did not have the nerves. All in all, things were going quite effortlessly. The Ginyu Force was too hopelessly outnumbered to stand a chance, and he lets Jeice know this fact quite clearly before generating a Big Bang attack that is far bigger than necessary, but he can't help but show off. Jeice is dead a moment later.

Vegeta touches down next to Bulma, silently assessing her body for injuries. Except for a bruise to the back of her neck she is relatively unharmed. His stomach churns at how close she had come. The remaining Saiyans and two humans look up to watch the fight above. 

"Shouldn't you help her?" Bulma asks, arms wrapped around herself, as Azuki takes a particularly hard hit to the back.

Vegeta shakes his head. "It is against the Saiyan way to interfere in a battle. This is her's to fight." Although he had been particularly hopeful that he would be the one to spill Ginyu's blood, he knows that Azuki craves it – _needs_ it – more.

"What if it's her's to die?" Bulma cries in outrage, not seeming at all like she was speaking of the woman who had just come frighteningly close to killing her.

"Then it is."

There is no doubt, however, as Azuki effortlessly slams Ginyu's face into her knee, then fires a ki blast into his shoulder. She grabs the weakened arm, firing another ki blast into the weakened tendons, and then rips his right arm off as if it were nothing.

Ginyu's screams echo up and down the beach, and he falls, colliding into the sand. Azuki is next to him a moment later, breaking his limbs and shattering his ribs, making sure that there is no escape. Bulma looks away in pure terror and Goku and Gohan watch, unable to tear their own eyes away, too shocked to speak as Azuki takes a handful of sand and forces it down Ginyu's throat. Goku starts forward, crying out, but both Nappa and Radditz are holding him back not a moment later.

"She needs this," is Vegeta's simple explanation.

Azuki stomps her foot into Ginyu's kneecap, shattering it, and then takes one of his horns and tugs, ripping it away with little effort, leaving a gaping, bleeding hole in his head.

Ginyu howls, eyes screwed shut, and the words flow from his mouth in all sorts of languages, all begging her to just kill him. She grins with sick fascination, and Vegeta watches, expressionless, as she rubs sand into his wounds.

Ginyu opens his mouth, desperately trying to call forth his ability to change bodies, but Azuki breaks his jaw the second she realizes what he is doing.

And then Azuki digs her fingers into his eye, plucking it out and severing the tendons that are attached to it. Ginyu's screams escalate and Goku shouts out in shock, begging her to quit and struggling against the firm grip of Nappa and Radditz, but she does not hear him. Azuki clutches the eyeball in one hand and pries open Ginyu's jaw in the other, forcing it down his throat and closing off his nasal airway so that he must desperately swallow for air.

The eyeball is slick as it slides down his throat.

Azuki laughs delightedly as his screams die down to whimpers, and she caresses his face, saying "Do you regret killing him now, dear? I might have killed you quickly had you not."

And Vegeta is struck with the terrifying similarities, thinks of the way that Frieza used to caress his face and tease him with the knowledge that he had brought about his own torture.

"Stop her!" Bulma screams, and he realizes that she has been tugging on his arm desperately, scratching against his skin. "Please!"

"Azuki," he commands, voice brooking no argument. "End it."

Azuki snaps Ginyu's neck.

Gohan cries out, and, though he had looked away long ago, he still hears the sickening snap. Videl buries her head farther down into his clothes, terrified, and Goku watches as Azuki, stained in purple blood, walks over to Recoome's body. Silently, her look still murderous, she fires a ki blast into the wet sand by the beach, creating a shallow grave. She picks up his body tenderly and places it there, sliding the dirt over his body.

The rest of the Ginyu Force's bodies are left on the beach to rot.

* * *

She does not wash the purple blood smeared across her torso and matted in her hair, instead wearing it as a sort of token. When everyone retreats to their respective shower, she sits on her bed and stares at the carpet, not really thinking at all, mind completely and utterly shut off.

It is easier to think of Recoome as simply not here. She doesn't think that he is dead. Instead, she deludes herself into believing that he is off with the Ginyu Force, doing whatever it is that they do. Perhaps sitting at a bar? She always told Recoome that he needed to get out and have sex before he died a virgin, for Recoome had no interest in members of the opposite sex. Not that he was attracted to men, but more for lack of wanting any part of it, for, with the mentality of a child, the idea was utterly foreign to him. Maybe tonight he will take her suggestion and pay a whore to be his for the night.

Azuki chokes.

She chokes on the smell of smoke and blood and death that is suddenly so prominent in her lungs. She collapses on her bed and spits up blood, digging her nails into the sheets. She has never been repulsed by the thought of death, but suddenly the smell and look of blood on her is more than she can handle. Azuki struggles up, still coughing, and scrambles for her bathroom, immediately heaving the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She moves to the shower, diving inside without taking off her clothes and scrubbing her skin so hard that it becomes red and raw, throwing up a few more times and watching it go down the drain.

The blood won't go away.

When she emerges, still in her armor, she looks into the mirror. Azuki is, for the first time, self-conscious about the amount of skin she shows. Almost desperately, Azuki tears through her drawers, pulling out an old, torn shirt that she hurriedly pulls on to cover her torso. It reaches her knees, making her appear smaller and more insignificant due to the way it drapes over her thin frame.

Azuki leaves her room and heads for her brother's, knowing that Bulma is there, but not particularly caring.

She pushes open the door. Bulma is seated next to Vegeta, diligently snatching for Vegeta's wrist to swipe the cloth in her hands underneath his fingernails, but Vegeta scowls, jerking away. Bulma looks up upon Azuki's arrival, and Azuki immediately approaches her, ignoring Vegeta's warning hiss and Bulma's flinch.

"I am so sorry," Azuki whispers, chest heaving, breathing rapidly.

Bulma almost flinches, thinking that the Saiyan is apologizing for something she is about to do, but it hits her that she is not only apologizing for almost killing her, but for so much more. "Azuki, it's – " she begins, but is unable to go on. Is she supposed to forgive her, now? Should she?  
Azuki senses her hesitation, and gets down on her knees, staring into Bulma's eyes with such regret that Bulma is shocked.

"I'm sorry," she says again, and the thing that she does next shocks Bulma more than anything Azuki had ever done.

Without any hesitation, Azuki leans forward and kisses Bulma's bare feet. She then bows low, nose touching the floor. And Azuki rises and says, "Do not forgive me."

Bulma gets to her feet as well, sensing that Azuki had come to speak with Vegeta, and smiles sadly at the female Saiyan before walking out of the tense room.

How can Bulma not hate her? What kind of woman is she, to look at the face of the Devil and smile and love and forgive -

_Is that why Vegeta loves her and not me?_ It has been Azuki's fault, all along. She is the wrong one, the tainted one, the evil one that cannot love or be loved - she is the monster.

"Vegeta."

He does not look at her, instead finding a spot on the wall and giving it a smoldering glare.

Azuki falls to her knees in front of her brother, grabs his hands, kisses them, and whispers, "Please, brother, I know I have wronged you. Please forgive me. I - I _understand_ now."

He seems surprised, at first. Surprised by the glistening of her eyes (though he knows Azuki will never cry in front of him, ever), by the true regret in her tone. But it does not phase him. "I can never forgive you for all that you have done." He says coldly.

Azuki isn't deterred, not letting go of his hands, even when he attempts to forcefully jerk them away. "I didn't understand at first, brother. I didn't know why you would ignore our blood for her. But I - I get it now, I do. Please."

His expression does not change. "Get out."

Azuki releases his hands, shrinking back as if he has hit her. "You know what you must do. You know. It is for safety. Both her's and ours."

His eyes fall to the floor. There is regret in his eyes, true regret. She knows that he has come to the same conclusion. They are, after all, similar in the way that their minds work. "I know." But it does not stop him from hating her for making him come to this conclusion. It is Azuki's fault that it has to happen.

"Brother, I'm sorry."

This is the moment, the moment where he can push her away and never have her again or the moment he can accept her back and heal her.

His eyes are cold, cold as ice, and Azuki visibly stops breathing when he says, "You are no sister of mine."

And he knows, he knows that he has just pushed her farther down into the abyss, knows that he has destroyed any chance of reconciliation that might have been there, knows that she will not recover from this. But the anger boiling inside of him refuses to listen to reason - she almost _killed_ her, she would've - so he speaks from his heart and not from his mind.

"You don't mean that. You can't." Azuki chokes, and he looks at her for the first time, sees the unshed tears that she will not let fall. He sees how it affects her, but he does not take it back. She blinks a few times, and the shine in her eyes disappears. She looks almost pleading, desperate.

As if begging him to save her.

He can't.

"Leave."

Azuki turns and heads for the door, her eyes dead. Before she leaves, she turns and says, "If Ginyu had asked you, brother, to kill me in place of her, would you have done it?"

Equally as coldly, Vegeta shoots back, "If he had asked you to kill me, would you have?"

She stares at him for a long time, her expression dangerous, eyes storming. And then Azuki leaves, slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Review! :)**


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: This chapter is really short. I'll try to make it up to you guys with an update in just a few days. Also, school sucks. It just does.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful, beautiful, awesome beta, Naiel!  
**

Chapter 29

Bulma has nightmares every night. Every single night, without fail, she will dream of red eyes and an ice-cold, gentle caress. She will dream of emotionless black eyes watching her be taken away. She will dream of a long, green braid draped over her body and blue fingers stroking her cheek.

She doesn't let Vegeta see her weakness. He needs her, right now, what with everything he has ever known falling to pieces and shattering around him. He needs her to be strong, to not show the scars and the pain and the fear.

He's strong enough for the both of them, she sometimes tells herself. There are times where she wants nothing more than to break down in front of him, to show him her desperate fear of being left behind again, to show that she isn't invincible and that she has doubts and scars and pain.

For all she knows, he would laugh in her face.

She needs someone to cry to, so the night after Ginyu has been killed (Azuki has worked her way into Bulma's nightmares, now, what with her display) she enters Goku's room quietly. Goku, Gohan, and Videl have all been avoiding Azuki desperately, shocked and tormented by the torture that they had had to witness. As a result, they have been keeping mostly to their rooms, and Azuki has taken to roaming the halls with eerily empty eyes.

Goku is alone, and he looks up and smiles gleefully at Bulma's visit. However, his smile falters when he sees her quivering lip and glistening eyes. Wordlessly, because with their situation and experiences tears do not need to be explained, he pulls her into his lap and wraps his strong arms around her.

No matter how many times she faces death, Bulma decides that it gets no less frightening.

Bulma's sobs wrack her chest and she buries her face into Goku's shirt, thankful to have a chance to finally get it out. She wraps her arms around his neck and he slowly rocks her back and forth, as he might a child.

"I'm so scared, Goku," Bulma cries, and Goku nods in gentle understanding. "I'm so scared."

* * *

"We're visiting Tarble," Vegeta announces the next morning, much to the majority of the room's shock. Azuki nods, her expression not to terribly surprised, but everyone else looks around at each other in confusion.

"Who's Tarble?" Gohan asks.

"Our brother," Vegeta responds, making Bulma, Goku, Gohan, and Videl all stare blankly at him. He and Azuki have a brother? "I would like to see if he can help us gather troops, and his planet is on our way. We'll be arriving this afternoon."

A look passes between Azuki and Vegeta that sends a chill down Bulma's spine, but she isn't sure why. The two had been avoiding each other relentlessly, and Bulma had been able to gather that they had fought. The only evidence that she had to make this conclusion was after Bulma had left two nights ago, Vegeta had been in a terrible mood and Azuki had stormed off on the brink of tears, which was unusual in and of itself. They fought often, from what she gathered from Radditz and Nappa, but there was something different about this one. They hadn't spoken to each other since. The fact that they were sharing a look should have made Bulma pleased, for she wanted them to reconcile, but for some reason that she cannot place it makes her terribly apprehensive.

"_Ana'an_?" Nappa says, and everyone that doesn't speak Saiyan glares at him in obvious annoyance. The Saiyans would occasionally speak their language, but only when they didn't want to be heard.

"_Hetra snu'ut brekna_." Azuki replies, and Bulma watches Nappa's face carefully for a reaction. The only thing that she gets is a brief widening of his eyes. Azuki sees this as well, and continues speaking in a long string of jumble that Bulma cannot even begin to decipher. Nappa nods when she is finished, then returns to his meal.

Bulma turns her attention to Vegeta, scrutinizing him so intensely that he briefly looks up to meet her eyes. He shakes his head as if to tell her it isn't important, then looks away.

Bulma cannot stomach the feeling that something is very off.

* * *

"You aren't telling me something."

It takes her a full two days to find the perfect moment to confront him, as Vegeta has, quite lately, been locking himself in the GR so frequently that she has been unable to be alone with him. He has come out at meals and crawled into bed so late at night that either she or he has been too tired to even speak.

But they are mere minutes away from Tarble's planet, so Vegeta has taken a few moments to dawn his traditional armor, and Bulma had immediately barged into their room without giving him the chance to escape.

Vegeta stares at her without any indication that he knows what she's talking about. "Really? And what would that be?" He asks, the barest hint of a teasing smile on his face.

It is this more than anything that makes Bulma's chest deflate in relief.

"You've been avoiding me." That doesn't mean that she's going to give up.

"I've been training. I have come out at meals and to sleep, just like you nag about. And you're complaining?"

"Don't give me this bullshit, Vegeta. I know you're hiding something."

"You're overanalyzing things," Vegeta grumbles, turning away from her to pull on his gloves. "There is nothing to hide. I merely have had no patience to deal with everyone on this damn ship."

Bulma crosses her arms over her chest in an assertive pose, narrowing her eyes at him. She opens her mouth to say something, but not a moment later he brushes past her and mumbles, "The ship's descending. Come."

Indeed, she can feel the telltale signs that means the ship is making a slow decent. Figuring it can wait until Vegeta's talked to his brother, she follows him out of the room and to the hangar.

"Only Azuki, Bulma, and I will speak to Tarble," Vegeta is saying to the others. "It will only be a few moments."

Gohan nods in understanding, and he takes Videl by the hand, leading them out of the hangar. A dejected-looking Goku follows, having obviously wanted to get off the ship for a few peaceful moments.

Bulma cannot hide her excitement at meeting Vegeta's brother. Will he be like him? As handsome? Will their personalities be the same? Will he be as cold and distant? Or the complete opposite?

Bulma had not had the chance to get a look at the planet from the viewscreen, so when the ramp descends, she is pleasantly surprised. The planet that they have landed on is much like Earth, except…greener, perhaps? As they descend, they are surrounded by a beautiful green field, with a little town perched on the hill before them. The houses grouped together look like little cottages, and are connected by cobble streets.

"Its beautiful!" Bulma says, clasping her hands together. Vegeta grunts in reply.

The inhabitants that are watching them in anxiety are tiny, with little round, white faces and either pink dresses or blue suits.

"Come," Vegeta commands, walking forward and towards the little village. Azuki follows, and Bulma hurries to catch up to their quick pace.

The natives don't seem particularly fearful of them, but regard them with more of an innocent curiosity. The planet has obviously not been touched by Frieza's hand, and Bulma finds herself smiling at the little children that peer behind their parent's legs at them, only reaching Bulma's knees.

"Vegeta? Azuki?" A new voice catches Bulma's attention, and she looks forward to see someone that definitely does not fit in with these tiny beings regarding them with gleeful surprise.

He is even shorter than both Vegeta and Azuki, but it is obvious he is older than the teenager. His hair stands straight up, like Vegeta's, but isn't quite as tall. He is also much thinner than both of his siblings. There is almost something frail looking about him, especially when compared to the muscular Saiyans that Bulma is so used to seeing. However, he is dressed just like Vegeta, in the royal blue spandex suit and the traditional armor.

Vegeta nods and says, "Tarble," in greeting, and Azuki says, "Brother."

The smile has not left Tarble's face, and Bulma can see that he is a much happier person than his brother. Vegeta told her the events that landed him here, and it is apparent that it has been for the better. He starts forward, as if to embrace his siblings that he has not seen in years, but both Vegeta and Azuki immediately stiffen in apprehension, and he stops himself.

There are shadows behind both Vegeta's and Azuki's eyes that speak of demons; demons that do not exist in Tarble's world.

"Wha – I – I can't believe it! You – Frieza, have you killed him?"

"No," Vegeta responds, tensing slightly. "I need to speak with you privately."

"Oh – oh, of course!" Tarble responds happily, gesturing to a house in the middle of the town. "I live here – and, right, this is Gure, my mate!" One of the tiny white-faced people bows and smiles nicely. Vegeta inclines his head a fraction, and Azuki follows suit.

"Stay here," Vegeta commands Bulma, and she huffs slightly, having hoped for an introduction. Nodding, she watches as Vegeta and Azuki follow their brother and his wife to his home.

"Who are you?"

Bulma turns, realizing that they had gained quite the crowd, and kneels down, smiling at the round-faced child that is tugging on her shirt. "I'm Bulma. What's your name?"

"Smir. Why are you here?"

"My friend – "

"The scary ones?"

Bulma laughs, saying, "Yes, them – they need to ask Tarble a question."

"They're part of Tarble's people, aren't they? They all have tails."

"Yes, they are."

Pretty soon she has gained a crowd of children, all tugging on her hair and dress and skin in wonder. They have always had Tarble, but her blue hair truly fascinates them, and Bulma laughs merrily as the children throw all sorts of questions at her.

She senses Vegeta watching her rather than seeing him, and Bulma turns to look at him, to look upon his face because she wants him to see how happy this is, how perfect (and, though she hesitates to admit it, there is something pulling her, something off, something _wrong_, and she wants to make sure he is still by her side) and her eyes meet his coal black pits. He is watching her, his face pinched together, and something swims in those black eyes, something she cannot identify (is it regret?) that makes her feel uneasy. For a moment their eyes lock, black against blue, and Bulma feels fear pierce her chest. Vegeta is watching her so…so stoically, so _intensely_, that she feels that something must be wrong. His expression does not change when she sends him a questioning glance, so she looks to Azuki for some sort of explanation, and is only met with the same stone-cold expression. Azuki is standing some few feet behind her brother, her eyes just as hard, just as deep, boring into her soul. Unnerved, Bulma returns her attention back to the child who is tugging her sleeve, knowing they would tell her if something is wrong, ignoring everything that is telling her _not _to turn away, _not_ to take her attention off of the Saiyans…

She laughs at the young boy who is making a face up at her, pure innocence, and turns again to smile at Vegeta, to tell him with her eyes that it's ok, that _everything is going to be ok…_

Her eyes are met with vacant space.

He and Azuki are gone.

Her stomach plummets straight to the bottom of her feet. Bulma's blue eyes frantically search the crowd of the aliens, fear gripping her in its icy clutches, and she tentatively calls out, "Vegeta?" Bulma takes a step forward, to the place where he had just stood, pushes through the crowd curious watchers and children and begins to pick up her pace to a trot, yelling both his and Azuki's name.

This isn't a coincidence – no, _no_, this can't be happening _again_.

Bulma breaks into a dead sprint, tearing away from the cottages and soaring down the grassy hill in the direction of the ship that she can _hear _roaring to life, _no._

The wind is picking up from the sheer power of their ship and it nearly bowls Bulma backwards, the too-green grass whipping from the force, but Bulma pushes forward, grits her teeth, digs in her heels.

The ship lifts, and maybe it is her imagination playing tricks on her, but she thinks that she can see Vegeta watching her through the viewscreen stoically, without emotion. "You FUCKING BASTARD!" Bulma screeches, tumbling forward and picking up a rock to throw it with all her might up at the rapidly disappearing ship. "I FUCKING HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

And with one last blast of power, the ship vanishes from her sight.

* * *

**A/N: My very next review will be my 400th! So exciting! Who shall it be? XD  
**

**Once again, sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I will make it up to you with an extra quick update! ...Hopefully!  
**


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: Many thanks to my lovely beta, Naiel!**

* * *

_"Chances thrown, nothing's free, longing for what used to be. Still it's hard, hard to see, fragile lies, shattered dreams.__" –_Offspring

* * *

Chapter 30

Vegeta rubs his temple and suppresses a groan, more tired than he has been in a while. His bed seems strangely empty when he crawls into it that night, and he mentally berates himself for such weak thoughts.

He can't face Frieza with her by his side. That much became terribly obvious during the whole Ginyu situation. She can be used _against_ them. His weakness for her was just that: a terrible weakness. It is safer for them, now, and safer for her. She is too much of a target.

And although his first thought was to get rid of Azuki, he knows that he needs her to fight Frieza. He also knows that it isn't just her; he could have been persuaded to kill Azuki if Bulma's life had been on the line. And that, by no means, was what he needed. So the only option had been to leave her behind.

He fleetingly wonders if she will forgive him, but dismisses the thought just as quickly as it had come.

* * *

Azuki had, once, wanted children.

She knows and realizes that this is not what someone would expect. If she were to say this, in passing, to Vegeta or Radditz or Nappa, they would laugh outright at her. It wasn't something expected of her personality; they didn't see her as nurturing or loving or willing to take time to take care of something that belonged to her. Once, when she was especially young, she found a puppy on one of the planets they were purging. She snuck it back to Frieza's ship underneath the tyrant's nose, and vigilantly told Nappa that she would take care of it. Within two days, she had killed the dog out of boredom, twisting its limbs and studying what kind of pain affected it most.

So why would she want a child? Because the fact that she could raise that child to be _exactly_ what she wanted it to be had intrigued her. If she wanted it to be cruel, she could make it cruel. If she wanted it to be violent, she could make it violent. She could construct a creature to follow her and be loyal to only her and just what she wants it to be.

It is only now that she realizes how positively _wrong_ this is.

"I've pushed everyone away from me. Frieza has not caused it. Ginyu has not made me. It was _me_," she whispers to Radditz, hands clenched by her side, avoiding his gaze.

Everyone has been avoiding her. Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, Videl. Her fault, everything is her fault, she is twisted, wrong, evil.

Radditz reaches out to touch her, to comfort her, but she isn't used to it and she jerks away. Before she can see his face and be regretful, Azuki stomps out of the room, leaving him behind.

It is not until that night that she realizes what she has done, and she thinks that there is no putting back the shattered pieces. The damage is done.

* * *

Radditz has not always cared for Azuki as much as he does, now.

He used to resent her. As a man, he thought that he was supposed to be stronger, to be the dominant one. But Azuki always bested him, was always stronger, and smarter, and had a comeback to everything he said. He hated her. He was supposed to be better.

She used to always put him down. Would always remind him of how weak he is, or how stupid, or how inferior he is to her.

He came to respect her, though. There was something tantalizingly alluring about a strong woman, not to mention the fact that she was - is - royalty. He tried to show his attraction, once. So he wanted sex? He is a man, after all, and with all the suggestive remarks that she made, he figured that she craved sex just as much as he. She did, after all, come into the ship boasting that she had lost her virginity at the age of thirteen. Vegeta had lost his at fourteen, and she liked to best him at everything.

So he had made his move. Now, in his defense, she had seemed just as willing when he started up the usual sexual remarks. He had _thought_ she knew what he was implying, not that he was simply joking.

Well, she had beaten him within an inch of his life for it.

He supposes he deserved it. He _had_ come on a little strong, after all. But after that he ceased his attempts, and let her be. He didn't really fancy getting his ass handed to him by a girl, anyway.

The first time he saw her cracks was when Vegeta told her that she didn't deserve to have the family name.

She had been eight. Her and Vegeta had been fighting, for they did that quite often, about whether or not the fact that Vegeta was firstborn was fate or luck. When Vegeta had said this, out of spite and frustration, she had lost it. Azuki had screamed and stomped and attacked Vegeta in a rage, but he had easily beaten her. This had only reinforced the fact that Azuki had been wrong, and she had gone on a rampage, shattering everything in the ship that she could get her hands on.

She has never been normal, or stable. Radditz has come to terms with this.

Although, he's never been a patient man, and he's oh so tired of waiting.

* * *

There is something about this scene that is terribly wrong. The son is not supposed to rationalize with the father. The father is not supposed to be lost, confused, at events that have transpired. He is supposed to tell his son, explain, why things must happen.

"It's wrong. What if she isn't safer? Its wrong," says Goku, pacing in front of his son, frustrated and angered by the fact that Bulma had been left behind.

"Dad, she was a target with us. We can't always protect her."

"What about Videl? She's weaker, and he didn't leave her behind."

"Videl can fight. And…well, she's not exactly in Vegeta's top priorities."

Goku rubs a hand through his hair, finally stopping his pacing and facing his son as if truly seeing him for the first time. "You agree with this?"

The strong survive, and the weak shall perish. It is something that has been ingrained in his mind since being taken from Earth, beaten into him, and Gohan replies to his innocent father who has seen trials and tribulations and blood and death and pain but has learned _nothing_, "Yes."

* * *

Goku, when sometimes watching his son from the corner of his eye, wonders where his child went.

He misses the boy who used to look at him with wide, admiring eyes. He misses the boy who thought that he was the most amazing being alive. He misses the boy who knew less than him, who hadn't been marred by the evils of war and violence and death. What happened to his son? What happened to sweet, innocent Gohan?

Sometimes, he is envious of Radditz.

His brother is familiar with this Gohan. His brother knows no one but this child. His brother doesn't look at his nephew and see a stranger.

Goku sees his son, but it is his son transfigured by war. He sees it in the boy's dark eyes. There is a maturity there far behind his years. Gohan shouldn't _know_ some of the things he knows.

Briefly, he thinks of seeking out Azuki, because he sometimes likes her blunt opinion on things. However, he immediately dismisses the thought, when he remembers her blood-stained skin and wild eyes and evil grin.

She doesn't frighten him. But he doesn't know how to approach her. She is redeemable, that he knows, because in his eyes everyone is redeemable. However, he isn't ready yet. He isn't ready to approach her, and look into her eyes and see that she regrets nothing.

No one is innocent in war.

He wonders if his son has killed anyone.

* * *

When Nappa watches her, he remembers his daughter.

He had never particularly liked his daughter. He had been General of the Saiyan army, and she had been weaker than most, frail by Saiyan standards, and worst of all, a woman. He had wanted a son. Hoped for a boy to be strong and fight and retain the honor of his family. It was a reasonable thing to want, and quite common of Saiyans. In fact, there had been a great celebration when it was discovered that the firstborn of King Vegeta was a boy, for when King Vegeta was young, the firstborn had been a female. King Vegeta had killed his sister in cold blood to ascend to the throne, so the problem had been solved, then. But who knows if the King's son might have had some affliction against killing his sister, so they had hoped for a boy.

His daughter resented him for it. He didn't see her very often, anyway, so he didn't mind. But he remembers her folding her arms across her chest and glaring him down and saying, "I can do whatever I want."

He had beaten the shit out of her, of course, for she had been disrespectful and wrong. But his respect for her had increased. Just a bit.

When Planet Vegeta had been destroyed, he had inwardly mourned for his mate, but it had lasted but a few days. However, the loss of his daughter still bothers him. Not to make him stop and wish that he had spent more time with her, but it is a slight twinge in his chest.

"I can do whatever I want," says Videl, hands crossed over her chest.

"You will not be fighting Frieza with us. He can fry you in one pathetic move."

"Since when do you _care_?" Videl barks, everything about her on edge, glaring at him with hatred.

"Gohan agrees."

"I'm just as strong as Radditz!"

"Since when?"

"I'll fight him, I'll prove it!"

"Radditz is twice as fast as you and twice as strong, so unless you want a trip to the tank, I suggest you don't."

"This isn't fair!" Videl screams, stomping her foot for extra emphasis, and Nappa rolls his eyes.

"Whine all you want, brat. It isn't going to change anything."

Videl glares heatedly at him, turns, and stomps away. And he thinks that this daughter hates him, too.

* * *

She takes up the problem with Gohan, and he does not take her side. So Videl shoves him back, into the wall, and screams, "You can't play dad just because yours _won't_!" And she hits him, punches him hard and forcefully in the cheek, and it _hurts. _Hurts hard and deep and something inside of him breaks watching her storm away from him.

He wonders when everything fell to pieces all around them.

* * *

On day one, in the little cottage that Tarble and Gure share, Bulma takes to stomping around with a scowl to rival Vegeta's and in a permanently sour mood. Poor Tarble and Gure scatter around her, asking if she needs this or that or if there is anything they can do for her and Tarble's insufferable kindness only reminds her how different he is from his brother.

On day two, Bulma tries to reconsider her situation. Pouting will get her no where, after all, and she decides that being left with the sweet Gure and the cheerful Tarble is much better than being given to a sadistic-rapist-tyrant. So she counts her blessings and asks Gure if there is anything that she can do to assist her around the little home. She is getting a free place to stay, after all, and guilt works its way into her heart after the initial anger wears off. Gure, being the sweet little thing that she is, tells Bulma that her help isn't necessary, and that she needn't worry.

On day three, Tarble politely teaches her a game quite similar to chess, except with more complicated rules and strategies. She figures out how to beat him in two hours, even though he is quite smart, and then beats Gure in one. Bulma then hauls the game board and challenges practically everyone in the village, excepting the children.

On day four, Bulma smacks her forehead on the dining table and groans, "I'm _booooored_."

Tarble looks up from a book he had been reading, chuckles, and says, "Well, I guess it must be hard adjusting to normal life after being in the midst of a war."

"Normal life?" Bulma repeats with a dramatic toss of her arms. "Normal life for _me _on _Earth_ was working in a lab and inventing stuff that could be used to help everyday life. And _then _normal life was being frequently nearly killed."

"Well, we do have a lab," Gure says conversationally, smiling from next to Tarble, her hand in his.

Why didn't _she _get the nice, friendly, kind, _deserving of trust_ Saiyan?

Bulma's much prettier, after all.

Mentally groaning, Bulma blames her bitchy thoughts on her bad mood. Tarble was much too easy, after all. He catered too much. Bulma likes a challenge.

"You have a lab?" Bulma repeats, attention returning to Gure. "Like…a laboratory? To build stuff in?"

"Of course," says Tarble, setting down his book. "I'll take you. We would've taken you sooner, had we known you were interested."

"Where do you hide a _lab_ in these _cottages_?" Bulma asks, somewhat incredulous, and follows a chuckling Tarble out the door.

* * *

"Well, damn. You do have a lab."

Bulma's eyes shine at the assortment of gadgets and trinkets and beautiful machinery that is before her. The lab was in a basement of one of the cottages, a technological beauty hidden by the simplicity of the town.

"Yeah. I had it built, if you can tell." Tarble says, flicking the lights on so some of the machinery whirls to life. Indeed, most of the tables aren't at Bulma's ankles, dismissing the thought that Gure's people used it. "No one really uses it. They're more of a simple people, here. But I like science."

"Yeah," says Bulma, not really listening, because her mind is whirring, churning, clicking. "Tarble?" she says, just as the Saiyan is about to leave her to the beauties, and he turns, raising an eyebrow in question. "Do you ever get sick of being on the sidelines?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, but his eyes flash.

"I mean that you were carted off to another planet while Vegeta and Azuki are off saving the Universe, or whatever. I mean that you're expected to play babysitter. I _mean_ that you hadn't seen your family in fifteen years and they just dumped me on your doorstep, like a sick child, and then left without even catching up."

"It's not –"

"Don't apologize," Bulma cuts in harshly. "That's not what I'm getting at. I _mean_ – " she turns to face him, her eyes dancing, "that we can play a part in this war."

The corner of Tarble's mouth tilts upwards, but that is the only indication that he likes her words. Schooling their emotions is, apparently, something the male side of the Vegeta family does well.

Bulma runs her hands across the equipment set before her; her own, personal lab. "I mean that I can make weapons – I can make weapons for the ones who can't wield ki, and you can contact planets and get them to join the cause. You seem pretty diplomatic, hm? And you know that there's no way in hell Vegeta's going to politely convince someone to join a war that they don't want to join. We're expected to sit on the sidelines, but we're going to change this war."

Tarble finally lets himself truly smile, Bulma's enthusiasm spreading. "I like where you're going with this."

* * *

"Ilat said that he'll travel to the other village to get supplies, and have you spoken with Planet Pok yet?"

"Just talked to them today, and took me an hour to convince them. Vegeta had, apparently, just been there, and made quite a mess of things. Gure spoke with Hultik, and they're in."

Bulma smiles gratefully at the little white-faced woman, who smiles back, giving a thumbs up sign that Bulma had frequently been using lately. "Great. I'll contact Krat, then?"

"Only if you've got nothing else to do. I'm warning you though, it's positively tiring. They're stubborn people."

Bulma grins at Tarble. "Ah, but my charm and wit will surely win them over in a matter of minutes."

"Whatever you say," Tarble responds with a roll of his eyes.

Bulma puts a headset on, sitting herself next to Gure and beaming brightly, nodding to tell him that she is ready. He nods, flicking a switch that is meant to make sure no one can tap into the conversation, and typing some coordinates into a complex-looking keyboard.

"Yes, this is Bulma Briefs, requesting transmission to your leader? Oh, you've heard of me, then?"

* * *

Somewhere in another part of the Universe, a man's face darkens at the sound of the voice that is familiar to him. His hands grip the armrest of his chair tightly, his grey eyes flickering with hatred and fury. Half of his once handsome face is scarred, marred and twisted as evidence to some kind of fire.

"Sir, we've successfully gotten the coordinates from Bulma Brief's transmission," one of his men tells him, and he nods in affirmation.

"Good. Set a course to go straight there," says the man, eyes dark and deranged.

"Yes sir."

Krandal grins.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Tell me what you thought!**


	32. Chapter 31

**This chapter took forever, I know. I'm sorry, guys! Hopefully the next one will be out faster :)**

**As always, thanks to my wonderful beta, Naiel!  
**

Chapter 31

When he enters her room, she is lying on her back on her bed. One arm is propped underneath her head and the other tossing a black ball towards the ceiling and catching it, one leg draped over the other. She would be the perfect pose of relaxation to anyone who doesn't know her, but Gohan can see the tenseness of her jaw and the hardness in her eyes.

"Everyone hates me," he says without waiting for her to take notice of him.

She doesn't stop tossing the ball up and down, up and down, and he watches it, waiting for a response. There is nothing to suggest she heard him, but she finally replies with a sarcastic, "You've come to the right place, then."

He steps farther into the room, shutting the door behind him, and begins to approach her. Without warning, she fires the ball at him, her eyes still glued to the ceiling, and he catches it out of reflex, tossing it back to her. "I don't know what to do," he says, desperately trying to keep his voice from cracking, because it's never been this _hard_. Life wasn't supposed to be this way.

"Move on. Not much you can do, kid. Wait for it to pass, I guess."

"I need better than that," he snaps, and he isn't used to being so angry and demanding and _mean_, but he can't help it.

She still does not look at him, but he can see the slight change in her relaxed pose. "Poor baby, not getting daddy's attention?" she says in a baby voice, eyes flashing. "Need mommy to coddle you? Well _fuck_, life isn't easy, is it?"

This time, when he catches the ball, he throws it at her as hard as he can. She casually reaches up and catches it before it can connect with her face, and Gohan growls in warning, shouting, "You don't understand! You've lived like this your whole life, but I haven't!"

"Adjust," she says as if it is the simplest thing in the world, still in that infuriatingly calm voice, and he wants her to _explode_. He wants her to scream and shout at him and he wants to scream back, and that's why he approached Azuki and not Radditz or Nappa. He needs to vent, needs to shout, needs to get it _out_ because his father doesn't understand and Videl won't speak with him.

"I _can't_! I wasn't made for this! This isn't me!" he cries, and he sees red, sees blood on his hands even though they are clean from tainted evil, even though Azuki is bathed in blood before him and he has nothing. "I'm not supposed to – fucking _look at me!"_

Calmly, Azuki tilts her head to the side to regard him with mocking curiosity. The ball still goes up and down, up and down. "Get some of your anger out before you explode, kid. Kill something."

"No," he spits so suddenly and vehemently that Azuki raises her eyebrows.

"Just like your dad, then? Fucking figures. It's kill or be killed. You'll die with that mentality. What are you going to do when we fight Frieza's army? Kindly ask them to surrender?" When he doesn't answer, just glares at her, she chuckles low in her throat and looks back up at the ceiling. "Killing isn't _that_ bad."

In a moment of clairvoyance, Gohan thinks that this Azuki must be the calm before the storm.

* * *

In a month, Bulma has successfully made enough weapons to last a lifetime with her impromptu 'Science Team' that probably wants to rip her head off for being so nitpicky and half-crazed due to a bit of sleep deprivation. So she screamed at them a few times? Big deal. They're way too sensitive.

Tarble and a small team have contacted at least thirty planets, persuading them to send troops to the Resistance's head planet. Hopefully, if everything goes according to plan, Piccolo will soon have his hands full with all the new recruits showing up.

She's been keeping track of Vegeta's whereabouts by tracking what planets he's visited, and as he progressively gets farther and farther away from her, she relinquishes any former feelings that she has had for the Saiyan. She doesn't care that he probably did this for her own safety; he has lost any trust that she could've ever given him before. And when she is reunited with Goku and Gohan, she plans on talking to them about picking out a nice planet to live on, perhaps even Tarble's. Vegeta and Azuki can rule the Universe or whatever they plan on doing without her.

Bulma walks out of the lab, wiping away a bit of the sweat on her brow and glancing skyward at the curious sound that had brought her out in the first place. A large, unfamiliar ship zooms by overhead, coming to a rest in the open field just south of the village. Tarble is soon by her side, his eyes on the strange craft, tense.

"Do you think they're friendly?" she asks curiously, unable to make herself anxious, because after all she's faced down Vegeta and Zarbon and Frieza and has lived through it all.

"Who knows? We do occasionally have ships land here by mistake, looking for a different planet. But…I have a bad feeling about this one."

Tarble, following his instincts, turns and shoos the children and women inside of their homes, making sure everyone is out of sight. Bulma keeps her eyes on the ship, which is still sitting peacefully in the field below the village. It is black and round, and three times the size of Vegeta's craft and twice as sleek. She raises an eyebrow as a door in the middle opens, crossing her arms and waiting to see if anyone who comes out is familiar to her. She dearly hopes that it isn't Frieza's men, but the craft is different, so she's fairly confident he has nothing to do with this.

The man that climbs down is flanked by other soldiers; Bulma counts at least ten. From her position on the hill she can hardly make out facial features, but as she squints, she can see that half of the main man's face seems to have been disfigured by fire. Tarble comes to stand by her side again, nods, and both of them descend the hill to meet the new visitors.

It is when the other side of his face comes into view that Bulma's blood runs cold and she stops, grips Tarble's arm, and pulls him back.

Krandal sees her recognition and grins.

Spurred on by complete and utter fear, Bulma turns her back to the man that won't die, screaming at Tarble to run, and takes off in a dead sprint up the hill. Tarble trusts her judgement, sprinting alongside her, and she can hear Krandal give an order to his men to follow.

"Everyone here will die for you!" she can hear him yell, his demon voice, and Bulma screeches to a halt, making Tarble soar by her. She turns to look upon Krandal's demented face and sees him, just down the hill, grinning and holding a torch flickering with flame in one hand and a gun-looking device in the other. He points the gun, not at her, but at Tarble, who has turned to watch the exchange with fear in his eyes.

"Bulma, what – " Tarble starts, but stops when he sees what Krandal has set his sights on. Bulma has no idea how strong the gun is, but she does know that Tarble possesses none of the Saiyan strength that his siblings were blessed with. She turns to look at Tarble's home and sees Gure making for the door, sick with fear, and she sees children with their terrified faces peeking out of the windows and watching this new stranger, and no one else (not here, not anywhere) will die for her.

"Come," Krandal demands, a sick grin on his face.

Gure bursts from her home and sprints to her husband's side, who turns and pushes her back, begging her to go back inside in a language that Bulma cannot understand, but Gure, tears in her little eyes, determinedly takes his hand and stands by his side.

Bulma takes a step towards Krandal.

Tarble does not protest. He does not want his wife or his people to die, and Bulma cannot blame him for that. She understands. So, with her head held high, she gives Tarble one last look and descends the hill.

When she comes closer, she can see that half of Krandal's face has been twisted and gnarled by the fire that Azuki set to the building when they had escaped. The burns twist the left corner of his lips upwards slightly, giving him a permanent sneer, and Bulma shivers as he passes his torch to one of his men and roughly grabs her arm.

She looks over her shoulder, one last time, and sees Tarble is gone. Turning back, she allows Krandal to lead her up the ship.

How come she manages to attract even the worst of dangers when put on a planet to stay _safe_? She hopes that Vegeta will regret this.

* * *

Tarble flies into the house that has the lab and takes the stairs down to Bulma's domain in one giant leap. He skids to a halt and grabs a tracker that she had been building and then soars back up the stairs, sprinting back across his planet's terrain and towards the ship rapidly lifting into the air and taking away the very woman he was supposed to protect.

Vegeta's going to kill him.

He retained a bit of Saiyan strength even though he never trains and was born weak, and Tarble rears back his arm and throws the tracker as hard as he can. There is a satisfied clink as it connects to the ship and locks in place, and then the black, sleek creation shoots into space and is gone.

Digging his foot into the dirt, he abruptly changes direction and makes his way to the communications house as quickly as his feet can take him. He throws the door open and slides into a chair, nearly sending it flying, his fingers flying over the controls, typing in the code that Vegeta had given him before both he and his sister had left him behind.

* * *

"Vegeta? Vegeta, they – he – he took her!"

"Tarble, slow the fuck down," Vegeta growls as his brother launches into a series of apologies and half-explanations. He tries to calm his own rapidly beating heart, not entirely sure what his brother is on about. "What happened?"

His blood steadily runs cold as Tarble tells him about a mysterious man that had came, threatened his people, and took Bulma. His fists clench by his sides and his teeth grind together as he listens, and, calmer than he feels, he says, "You better have a fucking way to find her or I will kill you."

Because he knows exactly who it is. And he knows exactly what he wants.

"I – I put a tracker on the ship, I'll send you the coordinates. Please, Vegeta, I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything – " Vegeta abruptly ends the transmission, not wanting to hear his brother's voice any longer, lest he figure out a way to kill him over the communications.

He knows that Krandal is drawing him out. He knows exactly what the man is doing. If he had wanted to simply kill Bulma, he would have killed her on Tarble's planet.

Vegeta doesn't give a fuck. All this man has is fancy gadgets and tools but Vegeta has raw power and now – _now_ – he has a reason to brutally and savagely kill this man.

"What is it?" Azuki asks, entering the room. Calmly, Vegeta lowers his ki, realizing he had accidentally been raising it the entire time.

"Krandal took Bulma," he says simply, reading the coordinates that Tarble sent him and quickly typing them in, making a straight course for the soon to be dead man's ship. He has no reason to worry, because soon Krandal will be dead for good (and oh, he'll make sure the man is dead this time) and Bulma will be back and Frieza will be gone.

"Fucking shit, that woman attracts danger," Azuki curses, and it is clear to him that she is agitated but is hiding it well. "Do we always have to go to her rescue?"

"Does it fucking matter?" Vegeta hisses through clenched teeth, because he's sick of her and he wants her out, wants her stupid mind games out of his life because he's oh so tired of them.

Her eyes flash and she tenses, and then she straightens her back and leaves him alone.

* * *

Krandal chains her wrists and ankles together and props her up on a chair in a white room in the middle of the ship. It is completely empty, save the chair, Bulma, and the deranged, half-crazed men pacing before her. She glares hatefully at him, watching his frantic movements, watching him speak to himself and flinch and shake his head fervently.

"You aren't part of the Resistance," she says calmly, making him come to an abrupt stop and whirl to face her.

"What."

Bulma tosses her hair, ignoring the temptation to bite her lip (oh how she's afraid, will she die, here?), and regards him with a fake calm expression. "I've met the real leaders. You have nothing to do with them. They didn't even know your _name_."

A half-second later he is by her side and he backhands her so violently that she is sent to the floor, sprawled unceremoniously on the white tile. He grabs her face with a charred hand and pulls her up by her hair, his wild eyes flashing with something that reminds her of Azuki. He hisses, "I _am_ the Resistance," lets go of her, and returns to his pacing.

She won't cry. She won't.

"What does it matter what you think?" Krandal says suddenly, his face twitching into brief rage and then settling into a pose of calm control, like he had looked back in the building that she and Vegeta had been confined to. "You'll be dead, soon. Vegeta will see."

"And how do you think he's going to find you in the middle of fucking _space_?"

"We aren't moving." Krandal steps calmly to the far wall of the room and intently stares at it, as if he can see through it and see the dark expanse of space that they are peacefully floating in. "That other man put a tracker on the ship. We aren't moving."

Bulma knows that something has gone wrong in this man's mind, and rakes her eyes over his charred face, his chunks of hair missing, and wonders if Azuki's ki blast inadvertently caused this, or if he has always been this way.

He turns to face her, eyes settling on her face and hair before rapidly moving down her body, and then jerking back to the wall. "He'll come. He'll come and then I'll kill you – right in front of the bastard's fucking eyes – and he'll kill me but I don't even care. We'll all go up in flames."

"You're just going to let him kill you?" How can someone lose the will to live in such a short time?

He advances on her again, but this time pulls her up and places her gently back on the chair. And then he sits in front of her, cross-legged, and regards her as if she may be his best friend. "My wife died. In the fire. My wife and unborn child. This," he gestures to his ruined face, "happened while I tried to save them. We'll _all _go up in flames this time."

Her heart actually reaches out for him, but she wonders where all this humanity was back on the moon they had been on, before. But he had only attacked her when she said she killed his father, and Vegeta wasn't exactly innocent – this man has some sort of twisted morals.

Before she can speak, he reaches up and strokes her face with his thumb, shocking her into silence. "You're beautiful, you know," he whispers, eyes flickering. "Shame I'll have to kill you. Such a shame. Waste of a pretty face."

"You don't have to do this," she whispers, mind working quickly, heart thumping as his hand moves to her hair and strokes it as if it is the most fascinating thing he has ever seen. "Vegeta's changed – he _has_ – we're working to overthrow Frieza and you – you can help, please – " And suddenly his hand in her hair clenches and his other flies to her throat, choking her with cold ruthlessness, his eyes alighting.

"It doesn't fucking matter whether or not you've changed," he spits, his previous passiveness like a distant memory, completely erased. "You killed my father, that - that monster has destroyed entire fucking _planets_…and I will kill you, and he will watch, just like I watched my wife burn to death!" Krandal jerks backwards suddenly, tripping over his own feet and stumbling away from her as if she is a disease he might catch. Krandal flees, leaving Bulma alone.

* * *

"You aren't coming."

"You're fucking _kidding_."

Vegeta straightens his back and thrusts forward his chest, glaring at Azuki with all of the authority and power that he was born with. She glares at him with equal venom in a familiar pose; jaw set, fists clenched at her sides, eyes flashing with rage.

He doesn't trust her. Not for one moment. She proved her trustworthiness in the whole Ginyu situation, and he won't risk something like that happening again. So, with hard eyes and a voice that brooks no argument, he says, "You'll stay behind on the ship with Videl."

"I _won't_," Azuki hisses, voice dangerously calm.

"You cannot question my authority. I am Prince over you. If you disobey me, I have every right to kill you."

Her jaw quivers and her knuckles turn white. "You - I - You can't do this."

"I can."

He can see her previous calm deteriorating around her, can see the mask falling away, and can feel her slipping away from him. "It was one fucking time, Vegeta!" She screams, finally exploding, and Vegeta relaxes, because he knows how to deal with angry Azuki but not calm Azuki. "He was going to kill Recoome! You _need_ me!"

"I do not need you to kill a man with fancy machinery. If something happens to us; if that ship explodes with all of us in it, you will be responsible for eliminating Frieza. That's what you want, is it not?"

"He's drawing you there! They're not even _moving_; its obvious that he has a plan!"

"You will stay behind. I don't _trust_ you." And he turns his back on her, once and for all.

* * *

**A/N: Tell me what you thought!**


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N: Thanks to my wonderful beta, Naiel!**

* * *

Chapter 32

Krandal does not come back for hours. Bulma is left alone with nothing but her whirring mind, desperately trying to think of some way to get out of this situation. She is so damn tired of being the damsel in distress, and Bulma works at her bonds for hours, wriggling and writhing until she falls from the chair. Bulma sobs as her cheek slaps against the cold, hard floor.

The reality of the fact that she's about to _die _hits hard, and Bulma grits her teeth in determination. She will _not _go this way. She will not be destroyed by a half-crazed man with twisted ideas of right and wrong. She won't.

As Bulma twists on the floor like a worm, trying to loosen the bonds on her wrists that still seem just as tight as before, she cries.

She isn't weak, she tells herself. Vegeta would be able to get out of this, Azuki would be able to get out of this, fuck, _Videl _would be able to get out of this. She can do this.

She refuses to be rescued. She'll rescue herself.

* * *

Vegeta fidgets with his gloves as Goku infuriatingly hops from foot to foot beside him. Videl and Azuki are painfully absent, both infuriated at being left behind and hidden in their respective rooms. The rest of them are crowded in the controls room, Nappa at the helm and carefully directing their ship to the black, slick craft that almost melts into the space before them.

There is a hangar open, waiting for them. Nappa puts up their most powerful shields and, with a breath of control, steers them inside.

"We will get in and get out," Vegeta says calmly, everyone looking up at him in silence. "Krandal is mine. Do not touch him. Gohan, you and Kakarrot will circle to the left and search the eastern side. Nappa and Radditz take the west. I will search the northern side." Everyone nods, apprehensive.

"Why can't we sense her ki?" Goku voices everyone's question, obviously cautious about the fact that they can't rely on their greatest asset.

"They most likely have devices that lower it. These people are noted for their technology, so don't let anything touch you. Azuki!"

Azuki saunters into the room with a look of boredom, her tail thrashing behind her. "You called?" she asks lazily.

"Take this," commands Vegeta, tossing her a scouter that she catches with a look of disdain. "In case I need to contact you."

"Of course, Your Highness," she says with an over-embellished bow. Vegeta ignores her sarcasm and turns back to the others.

"Let's go."

* * *

Goku and Gohan creep down their designated hallway in tense silence. Goku keeps tabs on their companions, feeling the others' ki's as they circle around the ship at the same cautious pace as he and his son.

It is eerily quiet, and Goku doesn't like it. They have neither seen nor heard any sounds of life on the ship, and not having his trusted ki sensing ability is making him antsy. He wishes they could just find Bulma, whisk her away, and be on with their merry lives. And by merry, he means decidedly depressing.

"Gohan, don't get too far ahead," Goku hisses, keeping his voice low as if those that lived in this ship could be persuaded not to make a surprise attack if they couldn't hear them.

"Dad, I'm not a baby," Gohan says, and though it is without venom, it still stings Goku a bit. _Yes_, Goku thinks, _you are_.

* * *

At an awkward angle that should not be possible, Bulma digs her fingernails into the ropes cutting into her ankles. She has not trimmed her nails in ages, and they tear into the material with ease. She wonders what made Krandal think that rope was a better restraint than chains, and thanks the gods for the lapse in judgment on his part.

Shuffling awkwardly over to the chair, she digs one of the legs into the center of her binds, driving a hole into the center. With a combination of swearing, huffing, biting, and a few lost fingernails, Bulma finally breaks free.

She bolts.

* * *

Gohan's head shoots up, and a wide grin breaks out across his face. "Dad, do you feel that? It's Bulma!" he shouts, breaking out into a gleeful sprint in the direction of Bulma's ki that had just flickered into existence.

"Gohan, wait –!" Goku shouts, terrified of a trap, as his son sprints ahead of him.

Gohan explodes.

The ground underneath his son literally _explodes_, and his son disappears from sight in a blast of fire and smoke. Goku is sent barreling backwards, screaming, "_GOHAN_!"

The second he has hit the ground and can tell which way is up, Goku scrambles in the direction of the tall tower of smoke hiding his child from sight. He slides to his knees and dives into the black wall, feeling along the ground. When his hands find something solid, he drags Gohan forward and out of the smoke, flipping his son over so that he is on his back.

Half of Gohan's face is smeared with blood and something black, and Goku smoothes away his hair and wipes desperately at all the blood, so much blood, whispering, "Gohan, Gohan, please – "

Gohan's eyes flutter open, and Goku sobs. "'m fine…Bulma…" Gohan moans, feebly trying to get up.

"We need to get you to the tank," Goku says with more reassurance in his tone than he feels, and he hauls his son into his arms. He turns to head back the way that they came and is sent to a jarring stop; the hallway that they had just come from is blocked off by a wall that Goku is sure was not there seconds before. He turns and starts trotting in the direction they had been heading, where Vegeta's, Radditz's, Nappa's, and Bulma's ki are all approaching each other, coming from different directions. "This can't be good," Goku moans.

* * *

His men have alerted him that the Saiyan has arrived, with a few backups, and with a twisted grin, Krandal makes his way to the room that Bulma is locked in. He has no true care; just vengeance on his mind. He will take off Bulma's binds, which will make her ki detectable, and lure them all to her. And he will kill her. He will.

Krandal opens the door and stops dead in his tracks, his eyes resting on the pile of severed ropes lying peacefully in the center of the room, just underneath an empty chair. Cursing vehemently, Krandal turns and sprints to the side door in the hall that leads to the Circle Room.

* * *

Bulma races down the hall, flying at a speed that she's never traveled at, wondering just how she plans on getting off of a ship that's in the middle of space. Could she possibly catch Krandal unawares and kill him, and then somehow take control of the ship? The problem with _that_ plan is that she would have to catch Krandal off guard, and she has no idea where he is.

The hallway that she is running down is coming to a circle with multiple hallways branching off of it, and if Bulma didn't know any better, she'd say that the two men sprinting towards her from the opposite hallway look suspiciously like Nappa and Radditz.

"Bulma!"

"_Bulma_!"

Bulma's face breaks into a grin as she recognizes Vegeta's voice coming from a separate hallway and she picks up her pace, desperate to get to the circle and see him and feel _safe_, because she knows Vegeta won't let her die, he won't –

She breaks into the circle and turns towards him, smiling brilliantly, and only when she sees his face does she see the horror in his expression, but its too late, she can only turn and see that Krandal is _on_ her; there is no time to react, he's just _there_.

"Bulma, watch out!" She hears Goku scream.

"_No_!"

A second later Krandal thrusts something _up _into her ribcage and Bulma freezes, her mouth open in a last moment of surprise, Krandal's demonic, satisfied eyes the only thing she can see.

There is an explosion of pain and Krandal lets go of her, and she falls. She chokes, chokes back blood and bile and there is an explosion of fire in front of her. She blinks back tears, her stomach on fire, her head pounding.

She's going to die.

Vegeta watches her fall. He watches her eyes go wide, watches Krandal let go, watches her thud against the ground and choke desperately for air. Something in his chest expands, something inside of him untaps, something _breaks_.

Vegeta roars.

He can feel the power suddenly course through him, feels invincible, feels it just as he feels the pain, feels like every cell in his body is exploding and feels like he's being ripped open from the inside out. Something happens, some kind of warmth washes over him, and everything is clear and he can hear Bulma's shallow breaths even when she is across the room, can see every little bead of sweat on her forehead.

He has never felt so _alive_.

Vegeta charges Krandal, fists clenched, and the man doesn't even move as he tears him apart.

Bulma shudders, unable to see her surroundings, for the golden light is so bright that it blinds her even through her shocked tears. She lifts a shaky hand and grasps the offending object imbedded in her stomach, like some extra, protruding limb, fumbling fingers tracing the edges of the jagged knife.

The pain spreads through her entire body, and Bulma screams, eyes popping out of her head and oh, _oh _the pain why is it so blinding in here why is it so golden –

Blood showers from somewhere above and splatters over her, decorating her with not only her own red but also another's, and she wonders whose it is, but then realizes that she really doesn't care.

He leans down and picks her up – is that fear in his eyes? So she is going to die, then? And she thinks that he must have been turned into an angel to deliver her to Hell (she has sinned so much, so much) because his hair is golden and his eyes are teal and she distinctly remembers both being black. She fists her hand in his shining hair and a tear streaks down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

Bulma closes her eyes.

Vegeta can _feel_ his power crackling around him and enveloping them both in a golden aura of protection, and everything around him is clear, he can see things the way he has never seen and he can hear Nappa and Radditz's stupefied gasps of surprise as if their mouths were right in his ear and _this power_, it's what he was made for.

Krandal's decapitated body lies on the ground, his head by Nappa's foot. Nappa and Radditz are bowing before him, but he scowls furiously and shouts, "There's no time!" and tears down the hall, Bulma jostling in his arms.

"Azuki, get the tank ready!" Vegeta shouts into his scouter, and he can hear her mumble a half-hearted response. His heart pounds with hatred and he curses her loudly, getting a more lively reply.

Vegeta lets the golden power slip from his grasp, knowing that he will be able to call it forth when he needs it again, but unable to truly celebrate due to the fear coursing through him. Nappa and Radditz lead the way, slapping aside the few soldiers that half-heartedly try to stop them.

They tear into the ship and into the living quarters. Vegeta hands Bulma over to Radditz and growls, "Put her in the tank _now_," assured by the feeble pulsing of her ki. Radditz nods and takes her from his arms, leaving the room hurriedly.

"What about – " Goku starts, his son unconscious in his arms, but Vegeta harshly cuts him off.

"Bulma gets it first. He will live for a few hours."

Goku places his son gently on the couch, knowing that Vegeta is right. Gohan, although injured, does not need the tank immediately, and Bulma does.

"What have you done?" All heads snap up as Azuki enters the room, tail bristled, her eyes settling on Gohan's still body. "He needs the tank!" She screams, making for him.

Wordlessly, Vegeta steps in between Gohan and Azuki with a snarl. "Bulma gets it first. She's dying."

"You can't decide that!" Azuki screams. "You can't decide who gets to live or die!"

"He's – " Vegeta begins, intending to explain that the boy is fine, just injured, but Azuki cuts him off.

"No! Just because you fuck Bulma does not mean you get to let a child die!"

Just then, Videl enters the scene, sees Gohan, and makes a crazed dash towards him. Moving quickly, Nappa intercepts her and pulls her back by the end of her shirt, grabbing her arm and gripping her tightly. "Let me go!" Videl shrieks, and then she sees Azuki and Vegeta glaring hatefully at each other and sees Goku watching the exchange with fear in his eyes – but not for his son. She stills.

Azuki's tail jerks to and fro, and her eyes are burning with rage and a bit of edginess that would make most men nervous, but she is Vegeta's sister and he knows how to deal with her. She does not scare him, and she never will, even with her mind games and fucked up schemes and self-helping motives.

Videl struggles against Nappa's grip, but he hisses, "No," his tail bristled and the hair on the back of his neck standing straight up. He knows, _knows_ that something horrible is about to happen and there is nothing that he can do to stop it (he is so useless). Radditz enters at that moment, returning from putting Bulma in the tank, and as soon as he sees the scene recognition and fear light up his eyes, but he does not move.

"You always do everything wrong!" Azuki screams, nothing but anger and rage and hatred in her eyes, and Vegeta growls warningly, _please don't do this_. Azuki's head jerks to the left in a barely noticeable movement, but Vegeta sees everything; he sees the way her fingers twitch, sees the way her tail moves in jerky, unpredictable movements, sees the way her movement is in strange spurts instead of everything flowing together like it should, and something is wrong he knows it something is wrong inside her head.

Azuki has always challenged his leadership. She has always thought that it is she who is meant to be the current leader of the Saiyans. There are only so few Saiyans left that the title should be meaningless, but to someone as greedy as Azuki and proud as Vegeta, it means everything. Azuki has only outright challenged him for the metaphorical crown once, and that was a long time ago when they were young and reckless and on Planet Vegeta. Vegeta had crushed her into the ground and had only not killed her (as was tradition) because his father had been the reigning King so it was not as big of a deal for them to fight for power in such a way. Since then it has only been calculating looks and quick, snarky comments and her dark eyes following his every movements, waiting for him to fail.

She thinks that she deserves it because she thinks that she is smarter and stronger and made to rule. She thinks that since she is but a teenager and Vegeta considerably older and their power levels are so close that one day she will surpass him. Vegeta knows she is wrong. She may have a bit of natural talent, but Vegeta was _made_ to rule, and he has ascended and he knows with every fiber of his being that she never will, because she does not _deserve_ to ascend.

She never understood his being against taking the title of King, either. He had chosen to keep the title of Prince for respect for his father and his home planet. She has often made many comments that if she had been the first-born they would be calling her Queen Azuki. It is things like this that reassures Vegeta (not that he ever had any doubts) that being born first was destiny and not luck.

Azuki moves, snapping Vegeta from his thoughts and making him tense, but she only leans forward, back hunched, and begins to circle Vegeta. He snarls, tail curling around his torso, tensing for the battle, and Vegeta can see Kakarott flinch.

"I should have been the ruler of everyone, I deserve it!" Azuki screams, spit flying from her mouth, her eyes not roving him like they should, not taking in details like they are supposed to, not watching his every movement.

"Azuki," Goku whines, clearly wanting to get to his son (who Azuki still stands protectively over, like a mother protecting her cub) and also not wanting to see this fight. Even a fool like Kakarott can feel that this fight is different; that this fight is meant to end things. Vegeta clenches his fists, ready, waiting for her to finish her foolish speech. He is not worried for Gohan, because he knows that the regeneration tank will heal him in no time, and if Azuki wasn't so far gone (_why_, why has she snapped now) she would have already realized that.

"Shut up!" Azuki snaps, taking her eyes off of Vegeta to glare heatedly at Goku. That is when he should have attacked, should have gained the upper hand before it got out of control, but Vegeta cannot get himself to move with the hopes that Azuki will come to her senses. He knows she won't, because _they_ (Nappa, Radditz, Frieza) have always waited for this moment, have always waited for the moment that she would snap and the sane bit of her would finally relinquish its hold. Azuki turns back to Vegeta. "This would not have happened. Bulma would not be here. Recoome would not be dead. _You _fuck everything up, and I am going to change that."

"You challenge me?" Vegeta asks clearly, voice low in warning. He sees Radditz shift in the corner of his vision and knows that he hopes for Azuki to back down now – so does he, and although the Saiyan part of him longs for this battle, he does not want this.

If a younger sibling challenges the older for a position of power, it is tradition that the winner kills the loser.

Vegeta cannot lose. He is a Super Saiyan. But Azuki does not know this, and he is far too proud to tell her before their battle.

In response, Azuki leaps over Gohan's still body to attack Vegeta, going straight for his throat. He sidesteps easily, but Azuki changes direction with ridiculous speed, ramming her fist into his jaw. He had expected her fighting to be hindered by the fact that she has obviously lost her mind, but, then again, Azuki had always been good at fighting in these kinds of situations.

Vegeta recovers quickly, allowing Azuki to throw a few more punches, dodging and blocking them effortlessly. She does not wear her usual smirk; it is replaced with a snarl, which unnerves him more than it should.

Sensing his distraction, Azuki phases behind him and catches him in the back of the head. Vegeta stumbles forward but, with a yell of rage, turns and slams Azuki into the ground.

Nappa, from the corner of the room, relinquishes his hold on Videl. She is now too terrified to move anywhere near Gohan, who is obliviously right under the fray. Videl screams as the battle gets dangerously close to them, but Nappa simply pulls her farther back.

Nappa has never seen anything like it. He has never seen a fight so outright vicious. They are throwing blows wildly and forcefully, but with control. They are fighting to the death; it is certain, there is no denying it. He has always wondered when this day would come, and always hoped that it never would. He should have seen it coming, what with Azuki's challenges and comments (and she is so independent, so proud, that it must have destroyed her to always be underneath her brother in both power and nobility), but he had never thought that she would wish to kill her brother just to be Queen of a nonexistent planet.

Radditz winces as Azuki is slammed into the vase that the rulers of the Resistance had given them, shattering it completely. Vegeta takes advantage of this, pounding his fists into every inch of her body, but Azuki phases to the other side of the room, nearest Nappa, hunched over and breathing heavily. Blood drips into her eye, and she hastily wipes it away. Vegeta does not hesitate in following her, not allowing her to catch her breath.

Nappa wonders if he will kill Azuki when it is over. He knows Vegeta will win; knows it even as Azuki gains the upper hand for a moment, knows it even as Vegeta crashes into the wall and Azuki slams his face into the desk in front of the couch, knows it even as he thinks that he has never seen Azuki fight so well.

Azuki blocks Vegeta's next blow with her forearm, then catches Vegeta's kick in her fist, tugging and knocking Vegeta on his back. Her fists find his face, beating it repeatedly, getting at least six punches in before she kicks the bottom of his jaw painfully. Vegeta flies backwards and Nappa must snatch Videl and dive out of the way to avoid Azuki, who is flying towards Vegeta, fists clenched together and raised above her head.

"Enough!" Vegeta screams, lifting to his feet, and there is a flash of brilliant light that makes everyone in the room shield their eyes. When they open them again, Azuki is being knocked away from Vegeta like a pesky fly, and Vegeta is standing taller than before, his flaming hair the color of gold, his eyes teal, something about his posture and stance different, more regal, the definition of pure power.

Azuki struggles to her feet, one eye swollen shut, her lip cracked, her face smeared with blood, the shock and horror evident in her eyes. Radditz has no idea what is going on in her head as she takes a step back, away from Vegeta, who is making no move towards her.

"You can no longer question my power!" Vegeta roars, his golden aura crackling intimidatingly, his voice deeper and more terrifying, and Azuki blanches. "You can no longer question my authority! I _am _Legendary, and you are _not! I_ am a Super Saiyan, and you are _not_!"

A pain fills Azuki's eyes that only she can understand, and with a scream that can only be described as denial, she attacks Vegeta.

Azuki may have speed on her side, but Vegeta has raw power. She manages to dodge his first few attacks as she tries to get close enough to get a hit in, but he easily slaps her aside, making her crash through the wall that leads to the kitchen. Azuki emerges from the new hole a moment later, her own red aura now flaring, but Vegeta dodges her attacks effortlessly and gives her a vicious right hook that sends her sprawling.

Azuki lies on the ground and slams her fists into the floor (cracks splinter in the plaster, the ground shakes), screaming like a child, eyes screwed shut. Vegeta's golden aura disappears as he powers down, knowing defeat when he sees it. He walks towards her slowly, the walk of a man of power, and Radditz, Goku, Videl, and Nappa hastily look away (there is a part of Nappa that can only think of Azuki as an animal that needs to be put down before it hurts everything around it, but there is also the majority of him that remembers Azuki's laugh and cocky half-smile and suggestive jokes) as he stands before his wailing sister.

_Frieza has ruined everything._

Azuki's eyes open and her black pits stare into her brother's own eyes, the exact same shade.

She is supposed to bow, now, but she does not (and that, more than anything, makes Vegeta remember that this is the same sister that he has always known).

Vegeta looks into the eyes of his sister. A ki blast is charging in his hand, but he does not remember calling it forth. He can only see the look in her eyes, the look of fear mixed with defiance laced with a craze that reminds him of Frieza. She reminds him of Frieza. There is no getting around it; no more denying it; they are so similar in the fact that they were born with minds that aren't whole and he has denied it for far too long. Azuki has always been this way. She cannot blame it on Frieza, she cannot blame it on a fucked up childhood and a fucked up life like he, Radditz, and Nappa, because she was _born_ this way. But he also knows that Frieza knows of their similarities, and would, then, know just what to do to send her completely over the edge.

Azuki lacks control of the animalistic side of her. Frieza does not. He wanted to teach her control; Vegeta knows. He had always been afraid of the day when Frieza completely drove her deeper into the insanity that ate away her mind and then taught her how to leash it in and use it to her advantage.

Frieza knows how to bring it out. He brought it out when she was in the chambers with Kakarrot. He had sent her over the edge, but she had escaped before he could reel it in.

Frieza destroyed his home planet, taking away the majority of Vegeta's people and killing his family. And now, _now_ he has taken away his last family member and twisted her into the monster that is before him.

Azuki had said to him many times that she would never be like Frieza. Ever. She had repeated it endlessly; it had been her mantra. Perhaps it is because the deepest part of her mind had always known that they were the same.

And Vegeta thinks that that is the difference between she and Frieza. She does not _want _to be like Frieza. She does not wish for it (but is it too late now? Too late to save her?) and hates Frieza with every part of her being.

Vegeta is her brother, and he knows this: Azuki is afraid to die.

"Get out," Vegeta hisses through clenched teeth, and Azuki does not hesitate, scrambling to her room and slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

**You know the drill. Tell me what you think!  
**


	34. Chapter 33

**Sooo, just to be honest, this chapter is far worse than the previous one. Please don't be disappointed! Also, I know there was a long wait for this, and its very VERY short. But don't worry! I'll post the next chapter on Thursday to make up for it!**

**One more thing: I kinda recently realized that we're almost done, guys. There's only around five chapters left. I probably should have given you guys a heads up sooner, because it might come as a bit of a shock - I know it did to me when I realized it, haha  
**

Chapter 33

When Radditz enters her room, she is pacing frantically, eyes wild, hands twitching. Her eyes rove the room and move over him without taking him in, and he thinks that it has happened, and _oh, why did it have to happen like this why does she have to do this _and _oh, she is damned._

He wants her to turn and look at him and smile and laugh and joke and he wants her to be healed, wants her to be better. But there is no getting better, only getting worse, because it has been this way for so long (for forever) and if she was going to get better, she would've been better by now.

He can see unshed tears in her eyes and can feel the grief emanating from her; oh how he wants to step forward and confront her and snap her out of this, just like before, just like always, but oh how he's afraid (she's fallen, fallen from grace and fallen from sanity).

With a frantic look of dawning realization, Azuki, grief in her eyes and failure in her face, tears open her closet and disappears inside it. She emerges seconds later with a small, black box and rips it open. Radditz peers around her body to look inside of the box and he sees it; sees the sleek silver and shining rubies and golden hues. He sees her crown from when she was a child.

Azuki moves to the mirror on the far side of the room and places the crown on her head with trembling hands. It looks terribly out of place, atop her matted, bloody hair and red-streaked face and bruised lip, and it is much too small for her head. It looks like it doesn't belong, and Radditz knows that it doesn't.

Azuki lifts her arms and stares at her bloody hands (the blood of her brother) for a long moment, then clenches them into fists.

Her face contorts into one of rage and tears, and Azuki rips the crown from her head and smashes it into the mirror. The glass shatters but the crown stays in one piece, and, dissatisfied, Azuki stoops over, picks up the crown, and crushes it in her hands. It smokes and her ki brightens the room as she destroys the sign of her royalty, and soon it is nothing but powder and ash.

Her knees wobble, her legs shake, but Azuki does not fall.

* * *

When Bulma opens bleary eyes, Vegeta is the first thing she sees.

She is suspended in the healing fluids of a tank and she is very alive, and when she looks down at her bare torso there is only a slight abrasion of the skin to show that a knife had been there before. Vegeta leans against the medical table, watching her with dark, almost terrifying eyes. She's not dead - she's not dead, this is real, she's _here._

She's missed something. She knows it.

The tank empties and Bulma steps out, taking the clothes that Vegeta offers her without a word. She silently dresses and avoids his heated gaze, her fingers grazing her stomach and trembling as they do.

She can still _feel_ it.

"How can I trust you?" Bulma finally whispers, her back to him, and she can feel that there is something different about him – more regal, perhaps? – and remembers a flash of gold, but she dismisses it.

"You can't."

She freezes, but before she can reply, the door to the little room opens, and Goku steps inside with a grim expression. Gohan is in his arms, unconscious, and Videl hovers from beside him, almost strangely close, as if afraid to be alone. The second she sees Vegeta she drops her gaze and shuffles nearer to Goku's legs, like a frightened child.

"What happened?" Bulma asks in fear, moving quickly to see Gohan, whose face is hidden behind blood.

Goku sets him in the tank and sets it up, saying softly, "He was hurt while rescuing you. Don't worry, he'll be fine."

Vegeta gestures to Bulma and she follows him, casting one worried look over her shoulder at both Goku and Videl, who seem different, somehow. The tension is thick in the air, but it shouldn't be there - she's _alive_, she lived, why are they all so despondent? It is nothing new for one of them to get hurt, and if Gohan is going to be fine, she doesn't understand the suffocating feeling in the room.

"I won't stay," Bulma announces, almost proudly, as they walk down the hallway that leads back to the center of the ship. She had already made her decision on Tarble's planet, and refuses to allow herself to give Vegeta another chance. He doesn't _deserve_ it. Vegeta's spine stiffens, only slightly, but he does not turn to look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asks, his tone forced, as if he really doesn't want to speak but he must.

"When you kill Frieza and rule the Universe, or whatever," says Bulma with a toss of her hair, and she refuses to back down, she must hold strong. "I'm going to take Goku, Gohan, and Videl, and we'll settle down on a nice, beautiful planet where there is nothing but natural death and peace – and no threats or war."

And if he'll just _ask_ her to stay, if he'll simply turn and request that of her, she'd say yes, because how can she back down from something that she knows he will never do? He is too prideful to ask such a thing, so she isn't surprised when he simply says after a long pause, "Fine." His back is still to her, so she can't read his expression, but something in her resolve shatters by the stone-cold tone of that one word.

Don't feel guilty. He should feel guilty for leaving you behind, _twice_.

The second time was for safety, yes, but he didn't tell her and look where it got her - with an aching gut and a fear to be alone.

"You can come visit, if you want," she offers, almost shyly.

And he finally turns, eyes dancing with fire, and spits, "Why would I _ever_ wish to do such a thing?"

She comes to a sudden stop and simply blinks up at him for a moment, but then regains her composure and folds her arms across her chest, frowning at him. "No need to be rude. You don't _have _to take the offer."

"When this is over, I'll have Nappa take you to a planet of your choice."

This is what she wanted, so why is it so hard?

Please, please just ask me to stay and I will, oh I will -

He glares at her for a moment longer, then says, "I ascended."

"Oh," she says rather stupidly, her heart thumping in her chest, and he does seem more powerful, and she remembers the golden light. "Congratulations."

"We're heading back to the Resistance. I'm ready. We'll attack Frieza, soon, and then you can leave." And he turns, leaving her standing alone in the hall.

* * *

"Videl, I'm fine," Gohan says for the hundredth time, and Videl finally releases him with a sniff, wiping at her teary eyes.

"I was so scared, Gohan," says Videl with a slight hiccup, wiping at the snot underneath her nose with her sleeve, for she had been crying rather forcefully since Gohan stepped out of the tank. "So scared that you'd die thinking I hated you – I don't, you've just got to understand how much I want to fight, Gohan! I may not be Saiyan, b-but, but I live for it, too!"

He can see the conviction and the passion in her eyes, but the fear twists and aches in his gut. "I'm afraid of losing you," he whispers, taking her hand.

"And you think I'm not afraid of losing you? We have to go in this together, Gohan."

"I'm stronger than you."

"You're just a kid!" She screams, jerking away her hand, and he realizes that he is only pushing her away again, so he shuts his mouth. "You're just a boy trying to fight a man's war!"

He doesn't agree, and he knows Nappa won't let her fight, anyway. But he doesn't say this; instead he whispers to her to stop crying and pulls her into his arms and wipes away her tears.

"I love you, Videl," he says, and he means it. He may be a child but he knows, oh he knows, that this is not affection, is not friendship; this is so much greater than that - they were destined to meet, destined to be together - he _needs_ her. He can't live without her.

"I love you, too." She says with her hands in his and her tears on his chest.

* * *

It is, surprisingly, Radditz who fills her and Gohan in on what they missed.

And she feels guilty, because she could see the pain and the conflict in his eyes, but she had dismissed it and had not even asked - not that he would have told her that his sister had finally made her descent and everything was crumbling around them - but she feels stupid and heartless. She doesn't want to take back her words, because she is glad that she got them out without cracking – why would she want to remain with someone she can't trust, she reminds herself – but it was bad timing, on her part.

Her stomach hurts, her insides, where the knife twisted.

Azuki is, apparently, locked in her room. There has been no evidence of a rampage or shattered belongings, which, Bulma thinks, is good. But, Radditz tells her, it isn't. Because when Azuki rampaged, she always came back down. Now - now there is nothing to come down from.

"It's my fault," says Gohan, and both she and Goku shake their heads firmly, refusing to allow the boy to take any more blame. "But it is!" he persists. "She went crazy because she saw me!"

"This has always been destined to happen," says Radditz, uncharacteristically stoic. "It was only a matter of when."

Bulma briefly thinks of visiting her in her room, because it is Bulma who is at the very root of this, not Gohan, it is she who started Azuki's descent into madness, so it is she who can reverse it, right?

But when she heads for the room, hand hovering indecisively over the door handle, Vegeta pulls her back and shakes his head with a firm no.

* * *

Goku doesn't believe in absolutes. He doesn't believe that anyone can be completely evil and he doesn't believe that anyone can be completely good (because even he has his flaws, even he fails and doubts and hurts). Azuki can't be completely insane. She isn't. He knows this.

And he wants to know the girl who smirked and joked and laughed and teased, the one that took Bulma shopping, the one that was happy, because this is the only Azuki he's known and he wants to know what she was – is – like. So he goes to her, and when he only sees a broken child sitting on her floor with silver ashes around her, something in him breaks.

"You're a fool," he says, his fists clenched by his side, anger filling him. He usually only feels this way when he fights, but something is coursing through him and oh how he wants to help her, and kindness is not what she listens to. "You're an idiot!" he says, more forcefully, this time. Goku begins to pace, and Azuki's back remains to him. "You – you have no reason to do this, no reason to be this way – I was in there longer than you, I was! My son – why do you care? Why do you care so much about Gohan?" He's on a rant, now, and he can't stop himself. "Is it because you don't want him to turn out how you did? Are you scared he's going to? If you hate yourself, why do you act this way? Why would you want to kill Vegeta – you – you love him, don't you?"

How can family not love each other, after all?

She doesn't move, so Goku moves around the room so that he is facing her. She stares down at her hands, sitting cross-legged. Her expression isn't completely blank, so he knows that she hears him, knows that she is listening. Goku takes a deep breath and calms himself. Yelling won't get him anywhere. So he sits down in front of her and looks into her eyes, and she determinedly keeps her gaze fixed on the floor. "Please, please fix it," Goku whispers.

"I can't," Azuki whispers, finally, and Goku is somewhat surprised to hear her speak. "It is too far gone – too shattered – I _can't_." There are tears in her eyes and tears in her voice and Goku's heart twists.

"Everything can be fixed. Nothing is permanent."

She finally jerks her head up and makes eye contact with him, her energy level shooting up as her fists clench. "Don't act so fucking perfect! You're not!"

"I never claimed to be!" Goku shouts with equal venom, his voice deep in his anger. "But I'm not acting like a child!"

"I _am_ a child!" Azuki screams, her aura flaring up and making the silver powder swirl in the air and disappear.

Goku lowers his voice and forces himself to remain calm as he spits, "Then stop demanding respect, because you don't deserve it." Her eyes flash with pain and rage, but before she can speak, he continues. "If you don't heal, Azuki, then you'll never have a place. No one will be there for you. Everyone will give up on you."

"I won't die," she hisses, fangs bared.

"I didn't say anything about death."

"You insinuated it! You act all high and mighty, but you're just as fucked up as I am! Go and play the hero, Goku, but inside you're tainted and wrong – "

"_I am not like you, because I will never kill those I love_!"

"You don't understand how it is, you don't understand," Azuki cries, face contorting in pain, a rapid change of emotion, and Goku is confused by the fact that she had just been telling him that he is like her, and yet now she tells him he doesn't understand her. "There's one part of me that knows its wrongwrong_wrong_, but another part that tells me I have to do it, have to and its so – so loud, so evil, so _right_."

Goku's expression softens and he can see Azuki warring with herself as her fingers twitch and she blinks rapidly. "You have to learn how to shut out that voice."

"I have to kill Frieza," she whispers, and her fists clench. "Or he'll overtake me."

And he understands – understands that she sees the evil part of her as Frieza, and in order to get rid of it, she must kill him. He sees that she feels that if she does not kill him, she will be this way forever. She must eradicate that tainted part of herself.

"I'm evil, Goku - so, so evil."

"Why would you want to kill your own family?" he whispers sadly, as if desperately hoping for her to take it all back, to say that she wouldn't have killed him, as Vegeta did not kill her.

"I don't want him to die," says Azuki.

"Then why would you attack him?"

"_Because I wanted to kill him!_" Azuki cries, almost defensively, her voice broken and shattered, and she finally collapses, screaming dryly into her hands (because he's long learned that she'll never actually _cry _in front of anyone), her body quivering. The room echoes with her cries and Goku can only stand there and look at her and see a lost child who could never handle everything that she thought she could.


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N: I know I promised to have this out yesterday, but I got slightly sick, and I also wanted to change around a bit of it. Its still a really quick update, though!**

Chapter 34

When they arrive back on the familiar ground of the Head of Resistance, tensions are high. Azuki has not come out of her room to see anyone, and both Vegeta and Bulma have been avoiding each other relentlessly. Vegeta has, typically, been locked in the GR while the other fighters have been forced to make do with the chambers. So, when their ship touches down on the ground, all of the inhabitants (minus Azuki, who doesn't come out even when Radditz nearly smashes down her door), stumble out and breathe in the fresh air gratefully, basking in the sunlight.

They are led back to the complex by Heyte, who seems in a better mood than usual, and it is made obvious why when they leave the confinement of the hangar and enter the city.

It is twice as bustling and busy as when they left, the streets filled with people of all different shapes and colors, some holding swords and other weapons, some equipped with nothing but their fists, all very serious-looking and strong. "Mr. Piccolo has been quite busy categorizing them by their strength, and I admit I didn't expect such a turnout –" Heyte rambles, noticing the shock on their faces.

"Yeah, you can thank Tarble and I for _that_," Bulma says snootily, strutting past the wide eyes of Vegeta with her head held high. He watches her with a kind of awe in his expression, and Bulma smirks.

* * *

"You want to attack _when?"_ Madaekal splutters at Vegeta, who surveys him calmly with his arms crossed, utterly relaxed.

"As soon as possible," Vegeta responds neutrally, somehow looking down at the dark-skinned man even though the latter is taller. "I am ready. I'd rather get this over with as soon as possible." Bulma shifts her weight uncomfortably.

"There's not much more I can do with the soldiers," Piccolo, who had been called in to tell him of their arrival, says. "They are ready."

Vegeta regards Madaekal with a superior look, grinning ever so slightly. The second leader of the Resistance glares at him with clear contempt, then says haughtily, "Well if you've given this so much thought," he spits, "how do you plan on attacking Frieza? We haven't even made a plan, yet. We can't just storm into the ship; he could escape and self-destruct the ship and blow us all to bits. And since you're clearly so impatient, I'm guessing you won't want to wait for him to go off ship?"

"We actually have someone that can help with that," says Heyte, interjecting into what was clearly about to escalate into an argument with his calm, soothing voice. "I believe you know them?" He gestures towards the door.

Bulma turns towards the entrance and grins brightly upon seeing the new guests standing in the doorway. "Tarble! Gure!" She shouts, running over to them and embracing them each in turn.

"It is great to see you in such good health!" Tarble says cheerfully, kissing her cheek like a true gentleman. "I'm so sorry about before – we wanted to help in the best way we can to make up for it, so we thought we'd come."

"It's alright," Bulma brushes off his apology easily. "It all worked out in the long run, anyway."

Tarble looks guiltily away and makes eye contact with his brother. He nods silently, but Vegeta simply glares at him until Tarble must look away.

"We'll come up with a sufficient strategy that will guarantee victory," Heyte says, returning all of their attention to him. "Our minds together will surely be able to accomplish this."

* * *

She replays the fight over and over again in her head, going over every little detail, thinking that she should have faked left there, or attacked from the right here – why did he go Super Saiyan, and she did not? Why is_ he_ great, and she is not?

What has she done wrong?

Azuki cannot bring herself to leave her room – she doesn't know what she will do with herself when she leaves. Wonder aimlessly about? What if she runs into Vegeta? What if he sees her and changes his mind, and decides to kill her? She can't risk it.

Her mind focuses in and out on random little things, and at one point she gets up, begins to walk towards the door, and realizes at least an hour later that she hasn't moved. Radditz comes to her door not long after, banging on it and begging her to come out, but she does not listen.

It is Goku who finally comes and breaks down her door. It is Goku who walks in, sees her sitting on the bed caked in dried blood – her's, Vegeta's – and it is Goku who grabs her roughly by the arm and shoves her into the shower, turning on the hot water.

"You've got to snap out of this, Azuki," he tells her.

When she's cleaned herself and dressed, she emerges from the bathroom, where Goku is sitting on the bed and waiting for her. She moves towards him, but he stands and shakes his head, pointing her towards the door. "Let's go."

"I don't want to," Azuki snaps childishly, trying to move to the bed, but he blocks her path. She cranes her neck to look up at him, and is struck by how tall he is.

"Listen to yourself!" Goku shouts, and she has never heard him sound so stern; it almost makes her jump. "Azuki – no one's going to be able to help you out of this. You have to do it yourself."

She flips him off halfheartedly, and Goku, impatience and frustration overflowing from him, slugs her across the cheek.

She slams into the ground by the force of his hit, and blinks down at the carpet for half a second, before recollecting her wits. She is on her feet not a moment later, hissing and spitting and trying to get a shot in on him, but he easily dodges all of her attacks and even slaps her back to the ground. "Don't you see?" Goku says, voice calm, when she does not get up. "You can't fight like this. You can't beat Frieza like this. You may have fought well against Vegeta, but that was different."

"What do you know?" Azuki asks slowly, staring at the dirty carpet.

"A hell of a lot more than you, apparently. Please, Azuki. You have to _want _to fix it."

"I do. I _do_."

"Then stop making it worse."

Azuki blinks up at him, and when he offers a hand to help her up, she takes it.

* * *

"Gohan, will you take Azuki to get food?"

"I don't need a babysitter," Azuki grumbles, so quietly that Goku barely hears her, so he chooses to ignore it and smiles when Gohan nods.

"What do you want?" Gohan asks cheerfully, trying to hide his nervousness around the female Saiyan. She doesn't grant him a response, so he just shrugs and says, "Alrighty, then," taking her to the cafeteria that most of the Saiyans had been visiting, due to the cooks' willingness to give them gigantic portions. Gohan takes his place at the end of the line, and when Azuki keeps walking, he silently takes her arm and pulls her back beside him. She hardly blinks.

When a man, about seven feet tall and with dark-brown skin, strolls past them and takes a place in line far ahead to speak with one of his friends, Gohan nearly groans aloud, knowing what's about to happen. Azuki's only warning is a slight narrowing of her eyes, but he just _knows_.

By the time she has phased out of sight he has moved in front of her, and she slams into him before she can change direction, making them tumble to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. Azuki ignores Gohan's attempt at stopping her and his screaming of her name, and breaks free of his desperate grip, lunging for the brown-skinned man, who falls back with a cry of shock. Right before she can wrap her hands around his throat, Gohan manages to take hold of one of her legs and _heaves_ back, making them topple backwards.

Azuki turns and, with a clear snarl of contempt, snaps Gohan's arm without any trouble at all.

Gohan screams in pain, tears immediately springing to his eyes as his hold on Azuki lessens, allowing her to break free and she's there, she can wrap her hands around his neck and how dare he try to get an up on _her - _

"_Azuki_!"

She recognizes his voice immediately, and something inside of her lessens its demonic grip on her mind; Azuki blinks up at Goku in shock and - is that _embarrassment_ that she feels? Why is she ashamed?

The man turning purple underneath her senses her hesitation and manages to worm out of her grasp; the second he is free he sprints for the exit and disappears around the corner. Azuki looks around at the people watching with wide-eyed fear and open mouths and tosses her hair, daring them to get any closer. They back away and avert their eyes, returning to their business without getting within reaching distance of her.

Goku turns away from her, moving over to his son, who has gotten back on his feet and is holding his arm at an awkward angle, a grimace on his face. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Gohan says. "I'll - uh - be in the tank if you need me?" His voice rises at the end, questioning his father if he needs any more assistance with the half-crazed teenager who is watching them both with a guarded expression.

"Yeah, go on," Goku says, hand resting comfortingly on his son's back before the boy leaves, giving Azuki a wide berth. Her eyes do not leave Gohan until he has disappeared from sight, and not even when he is gone does she dare look at Goku. After a few moments she risks a glance, only to realize that his glare is still fixated on her.

"What?" She snaps, rubbing at her arm.

"I thought you wanted to fix it."

"I - "

"No, Azuki," he cuts her off, rather forcefully, sending her into silence. "I _thought _that you wanted to _fix it."_

"I'm fucking sorry, ok?" She rushes out, the words tumbling from her mouth.

And then Goku seems to snap from his sternness, as if coming out of a trance, and he simply smiles at her. "Come on, I'll teach you how to meditate."

The nervous crowd in the cafeteria breathes a heavy sigh of relief when the two Saiyans leave, balancing huge trays of food between them.

* * *

Azuki slams into the ground for the hundredth time that day with a grunt of annoyance, clenching her fists and flipping over on her stomach, pushing herself up and into the air so that Goku dives into the floor instead of her face. He turns and kicks off of the ground not a second later, swinging his fists at her head and dodging Gohan's kick at the same time.

The meditation session had gone better than expected - she had struggled at first, but when seeing how easily Goku could slip into a trance-like state, she determined to learn how to do it, if not better. She certainly wasn't going to allow the idiot to be _better _than her at something.

And she doesn't understand how they (Goku, Gohan) do it – she, more than anyone, knows how impossibly hard it is to be so _good_ all the time, so perfect. Especially with Saiyan blood, to top it all off. How do they do it? She will never know.

And when her mind slips – when she wants nothing more than to burn the entire complex to the ground for frustrations that are beyond her – it is Goku who talks her down, Goku who holds her back and teaches her how to reign it in.

What has she done to deserve his kindness? Nothing. What does he get out of this? Nothing. How – how does he _do_ it?

The others, too, give their time to help her beat the aggression out of herself. Today alone, she has already sparred with Nappa, Radditz, Goku, Gohan, and even Videl. Her body begs her to stop, but she is oh so afraid that if she does stop her mind will relinquish the short relief of sanity that it has given her. She finds it much easier to concentrate on things around her when she is swinging violently at someone and letting adrenaline course through her.

But there is only so much that her tired body can take, and when she gets to the point where she can hardly dodge Goku and Gohan's attacks, the former stops and touches down on the ground, panting heavily, telling her that it is time to stop. Azuki agrees and relishes in the sweat plastered to her skin and the clarity of the world around her.

She wants to change things. She wants to fix it. She wants to be like Goku and Gohan – she wants things to be like they were, before. She wants to reclaim herself.

She does the first thing that she can think of to do with this temporary awareness – she leaves to find Bulma.

The human had been avoiding Vegeta like the plague, and although Azuki's curiosity begs her to find out why, she does not approach the topic when she finds the blue-haired female and leads her to a place that Gohan had shown her.

"Wow, this is beautiful," Bulma says as she looks around the indoor gardens that are located in the eastern corner of the gigantic facility. "I wish I'd known about this place sooner. These meetings are getting us nowhere – just with a bunch of headaches and arguments."

"How long do you think it'll be before you have a plan?" Azuki asks, hovering casually up to a tree to pluck a fruit off of the branches and tossing one to Bulma.

"No idea," Bulma replies around a mouthful of fruit. "I guess if you're going to kill me, this would be the best place, then?"

"I'm not going to kill you," Azuki says cheerfully, sitting down in front of Bulma and leaning back, supporting herself casually with an arm. "I just wanted to ask a favor of you."

"And that would be?" Bulma cocks an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

"I want to fix it," says Azuki. And as Bulma gawks at her, Azuki smiles so brilliantly that Bulma is struck by the fierce beauty that first drew her eyes to the teenager, but had long since dimmed.

"Fix what?" Bulma squeaks, already knowing the answer.

"Everything that I've broken." She says it so _casually_, so accepting of her sins. "But I've got to do something first."

"And that would be?"

"Kill Frieza."

"And how do I come to play in this?" Bulma asks, narrowing her eyes at the young Saiyan, already expecting the answer.

"I need you to talk to Vegeta."

Bulma stares at the almost-regretful Azuki sitting in front of her, and blinks. "I'm – I'm not really in the position to speak to him, Azuki."

"Trouble in paradise?" Azuki asks sarcastically, fists clenched, and for a moment Bulma is afraid that this temporary calmness will disappear, but Azuki's eyes flutter closed and she takes a deep, calming breath, then continues to speak as if nothing had happened. "You don't get it. I – I have to do this. I need it so much more than Vegeta. If I don't do it myself, I'll never be able to reclaim that part of myself that he has stolen."

And Bulma, who can see the hurt and the pain in Azuki's eyes and feels oh so guilty (it has all originated with her, all of this began with her), tells the girl that she'll see what she can do. Before she leaves, Bulma says, "I'm sorry, Azuki."

And Azuki, with a lazy grin but sharp, calculating eyes, says, "For what?"

* * *

"You don't understand, Vegeta," Bulma argues, head in her palms, sitting in front of the stubborn Saiyan Prince. "If you don't let her have this, you can kiss your sister goodbye."

"No, _you _don't understand," Vegeta hisses, pulling off his gloves and wiping the sweat off of his brow from his previous training. "You don't know her like I do. She's manipulating you, trying to get you on her side so that you'll do what she wants."

"She's trying to make amends!"

"She's trying to use this as an excuse to make me let her kill Frieza! If she does it, nothing will change."

"You don't know that!"

"_You_ don't know _her_! She's manipulative and cunning and she'll twist everything around just to get her way!" Vegeta shouts, the vein in his forehead throbbing. "There's no hope for her. She's _gone_, Bulma."

"She seemed perfectly normal when I was talking to her!"

"You shouldn't have even gone alone with her in the first place! Even Kakarrot was keeping an eye on you two, and he's been spending a shit ton more time with her than you have!"

It occurs to Bulma that, to know this, Vegeta must have been keeping tabs on her whereabouts and who she was with. Vegeta seems to realize that he's said too much, and turns away from her with a grunt of frustration, heading for the bathroom.

"She's your sister, Vegeta. Your _sister_."

He freezes mid-step, and it seems that she's hit a sore spot. He slowly pivots on his heel to look at her, and gets so close that she can feel his breath on her face and see the turbulence and rage in his eyes, but she doesn't back down. "Family doesn't mean fuck to the either of us, so don't you dare try to use that against me. You think she's changed? She's all good now? Well when she turns on you and tries to kill you, don't you fucking call me for help." And he turns away from her, stomping to the bathroom.

"Do you think it would have been different?" Bulma calls after his retreating form. "If Earth had never been destroyed? If you had come to Earth, and we'd have met?"

"I would have killed you, just like the others," Vegeta growls, and slams the door shut behind him.

* * *

Azuki's heart pounds rather painfully in her chest as Bulma leans forward, takes Azuki's hand in her own, and splays out her fingers. The blue-haired woman points Azuki's palm straight at Bulma's chest and says, "If you want to do it so bad, then kill me."

"You talked to Vegeta, then?" Azuki asks bitterly, not moving her hand from where Bulma had positioned it.

"Does it matter? Prove your point, Azuki. Show me."

Goku's voice echoes rather loudly in her head, _you have save yourself, Azuki, not just let others help you._ She can feel the heat of her ki coursing through her, itching to be released, but she's not supposed to, this isn't right, is it? This isn't something Goku or Gohan would do. This isn't right, no matter how much everything inside her is telling her that there is no consequence if she just wants to eliminate the woman in front of her; that maybe _that _will get rid of all of her problems.

And she wants, more than anything, to prove Vegeta wrong.

With much difficulty, Azuki clenches her hand into a fist and brings her arm down to rest by her side. "Happy, now?" She spits, tense and now in a bad mood.

Bulma smiles cheerfully and then jerks forward, as if to embrace the Saiyan, but then thinks better of it. "I did talk to Vegeta, and just like I said, he didn't listen to me."

Azuki takes this in stride, and begins to strut down the hall with Bulma by her side. "Guess I'll just have to beat him to it, then," she says, head held high.

Azuki walks with Bulma down the hall and towards the meeting room where Bulma will have her fiftieth (so maybe she's over exaggerating a bit) meeting about how to approach the topic of catching Frieza off guard. "Still haven't figured anything out?" Azuki asks as the both of them watch Gohan dart in front of them, give them a rather innocent smile, then rush off.

"No," Bulma huffs. "Everything that one of us thinks of is countered by another. Like, I thought that maybe we could just attack Frieza in his ship, but then Vegeta said that no one would be able to attack at full power for fear of blowing a hole in the ship. And he – well, either of you – needs to be at full power to take down Frieza."

"Why not just drive his ship into a planet?" Azuki asks casually, not even missing a beat.

Bulma stops in her tracks, staring at the female Saiyan who continues to confidently walk ahead of her. "Wait, what?"

"You know," Azuki turns and walks backwards, smirking devilishly at Bulma, reveling in the fact that she has brought up a point that no one else had. "Just get a shit-load of really good pilots to direct the ship into a planet."

"B-But won't Frieza just send some of his fighters to blow up our ships?"

"Frieza doesn't have that many small crafts – just really big ones like ours that don't move very fast and aren't made to bring down other crafts, just for transport. The mother ship is practically indestructible – you can't just blow it up, the shields are too strong. So why would he have any fighter ships?"

"Is there a planet nearby that's big enough to make him land it on?"

"There's a pretty big planet called Greksta that's about a hundred miles off to the west of it."

"What if Frieza just gets into a ship and escapes?"

"Keep tabs on his ki and makes sure that he doesn't. If he does, slap a tracker on that fucker and see where he goes. Isn't that what you made them for?" Azuki grins at Bulma's stupefied look, making a show of fluttering her eyelashes innocently.

"Why haven't any of us thought of this?" Bulma voices aloud, blinking at the teenager in awe.

"Guess you don't have the mental capacity that I hold," Azuki says with a toss of her hair, grinning. "And once you've gotten that ship down on the planet, just get a few ships to land in the hangar and send the warriors in. When there's an emergency everyone is called to the center floor – its just one huge floor with no walls or hallways or anything. Frieza used to hold diplomatic meetings there, back when he was first establishing his power, and now everyone is supposed to meet there if there's a catastrophe. Just one room, miles long, definitely big enough to be a badass arena. And there you go."

For a second, Bulma only can blink at her. Then she grins, claps her hands together, and races past Azuki. "You – you're amazing! I have to tell the others!"

Azuki just grins, thinking that maybe - just maybe - she can do this.

* * *

**So, this chapter might fuel a lot of those who keep thinking that Goku and Azuki are getting together, and while I've addressed most of those in replies to reviews, I just want to make it clear for any silent readers out there: they a_ren't _getting together. I just feel like he'd be the most likely to actually help Azuki.  
**

**We're so close, guys! Only a few chapters left :'( And we're about to reach 500 reviews! I'm guessing that'll be the last big number we reach, so thanks so much! Tell me what you think :)  
**


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N: I'm kind of surprised at the feedback I got wishing that Goku and Azuki were getting together, haha. Unfortunately, I've already had it all planned out, so there's no changing it, now.**

* * *

_Is our secret safe tonight_

_And are we out of sight_

_Will our world come tumbling down?_

_Will they find our hiding place_

_Is this our last embrace?** - **_**Muse, Resistance**

* * *

Chapter 35

Vegeta presses her against the wall, hands expertly pulling up at her shirt, and she raises her arms to make it easier for him. She doesn't even know how they got here; just knows that one second they had been discussing how Heyte had put off the attack for a month (something about gathering the pilots and going over the plans extensively with them, making sure there are no weak links) and the next they were here, him ripping off her clothes, her lips on his.

"You'll let me go on Frieza's ship, right?" Bulma whispers when they pull away for breath, and his eyes darken.

"Why would you want to?"

"I want to be close. So I know what's happening." He tries to move in, again, but she pushes him back, waiting for an answer.

"Fine, damn woman, just stay out of my way."

Bulma smiles and removes her hand from his chest.

He tosses her on the bed and is over her the next second, sucking on her neck and hands on her breasts. Bulma moans softly, fisting her hands in his thick hair, her breath coming in short, panted gasps.

This is wrong. Oh so wrong, but for some reason, it just feels oh so damn right.

They only have so little time left, after all (a month, why does a month seem so short, now?), and what if they never get this chance again?

When she wakes, Vegeta's arm draped across her possessively, both of them still nude, she knows that she has made a mistake. She knows that she has given in to weakness, to temptation, and hates herself for it.

"This changes nothing," she whispers to Vegeta, who she knows is awake because of his breathing, but he doesn't speak as she hurriedly rises and dresses, racing from the room.

An apology has not come from his mouth, or a request for her to stay, or any kind words, so why did she allow herself to do this? Why is she so weak?

Bulma takes great care to avoid him for the next month.

Damn her weakness. Damn his good looks. Damn her fucking _hormones_.

* * *

There are goodbyes to be said.

The attack is planned for the next night. All throughout the complex lovers say goodbye, and for this last night that they have together, they become one.

"You alright?" Goku asks worriedly, hovering over Azuki, who lies flat on the ground and growls in response, rubbing her temple.

"Fuck you," Azuki snaps, shutting her eyes against the bright light above her. The two had been getting some last minute training in, and Goku had not exactly been holding back, like she suspected he had for the past few days. It is now quite clear to her that Goku has surpassed her, but she finds it alarmingly easy to block the fact out as if it never occurred to her.

"Maybe we should take a break," Goku says with a bit of laughter in his tone, offering his hand to her. With a growl, Azuki slaps his hand away and pushes herself to her feet, grabbing a towel from a rack across the room and swiping it across her face. The two Saiyans lean against the wall and sit, sucking in air gratefully.

"Are you ready?" Azuki asks him suddenly.

"Of course," Goku responds, without missing a beat. "Are you…ok?"

She knows exactly what he is referring to. In the days that they have been here, she has only had a few violent explosions (a deep scar on Goku's shoulder is evidence to one of them) and only tried to kill someone once (the cafeteria). The haziness of her mind is clearing, oh she can _feel_ it, and she's so ready for Frieza's blood to be spilled across her front.

Azuki won't lose, can't lose – she's _young_ – and she thinks herself invincible, indestructible. She just has to get to Frieza first, just has to beat Vegeta to it. Who will gain the prize?

She's ready for everything to just be through, she's ready to be by Vegeta's side again, she wants everything to be right, again.

She's going to fix it.

Azuki is faintly aware that she would be locked in their ship, mind focusing in and out, crusted blood caked on her, completely shattered without any hope of being whole again, if it were not for Goku.

She'll make it up to him, one day.

"I will be," she says.

* * *

"Videl, please don't be angry."

"I'm not," Videl sniffs, sticking her nose in the air, arms crossed over her chest. She refuses to meet Gohan in the eye. "I should've known you'd just lie to me."

"I never lied – I never said I was ok with you fighting with us."

"You don't _own_ me, you know."

"I know that!" Gohan says quickly, taking her arm and trying to get her to face him, but to no avail. "I'm just worried, is all – "

"And I'm not worried about _you_, or anything," she says haughtily, flipping her hair in his face.

"That's _different_ –"

"How? Because you're stronger?" she spits.

"Yes!" Gohan shouts, finally exploding. "Because I'm stronger and can take care of myself and I'm not so fragile – " Her body language shows him that she is becoming rapidly angrier by his words, so he quickly backtracks. He just doesn't want her to see blood and pain and death and war and hatred, and he doesn't want her innocence to be tainted by it. "I mean – its just – I love you, Videl, I really do!"

"Oh, don't use that as an excuse," Videl snaps, purposefully angling her head so that she doesn't have to look him in the eye. "If you loved me, you'd let me fight by your side."

"Fighting isn't about love!"

"Ask your dad about that one."

"Videl, I'm _trying_ to _save your life_!" And he grabs her by the shoulders, whirls her around, and kisses her.

He is not but a child and it is his first kiss, so it is awkward and not at all what he expected and very _short_, but it is he who pulls her away. Videl touches her fingers to her lips, her blue eyes wide in shock. "Gohan – "

"Please, Videl," Gohan begs, tears in his eyes, now. "Please."

She regards him with a guarded expression for a moment, fingers still touching her pink lips, and finally says, "I get to go onto Frieza's ship. That's what Bulma's doing. I'll stay with her."

"Ok. Ok." Because that is oh so much better than _fighting_ on the ship.

Videl flings her arms around his neck and holds him tightly against her, whispering, "Oh, Gohan. Promise me you won't get yourself killed."

"I promise."

* * *

"You aren't fighting with us."

"Gohan and I have already talked about it," Videl huffs, slopping a heaping amount of mashed potatoes onto her plate and briskly brushing by Nappa. He follows after her, placing his three trays of food down on the table and sitting beside her.

"Good," Nappa says awkwardly, shoving his food into his mouth as an excuse of being unable to speak. Videl daintily picks up her fork and eats with quite a bit more dignity.

"What was she like?"

Nappa freezes, fork halfway to his mouth. "Who?"

"Your daughter. Radditz told me about her."

He makes a mental note to kick Radditz's ass when this is all over. "Weak. Pathetic. Worthless."

"So you loved her?"

He is struck by the blueness of her eyes when he looks up, from his plate, at the child. "What?" He responds intelligently.

Videl smiles, as if smug. "I'll see you on the ship." She pushes her half-eaten plate towards him and leaves him alone.

Nappa growls, continuing to eat, and thinks that they'll all be better off when this is good and over.

A child's innocence is such an easy thing to taint. He is glad that she is not fighting with them.

It has nothing to do with his dead daughter. Not a thing.

(He won't let Frieza take this one too he won't let her die too he _won't_.)

* * *

Gohan stays obediently still as Azuki forces traditional Saiyan armor over his head and clicks it into place. "Hm, fits nicely," she says, stepping back to observe her handiwork. Gohan glances to the left and surveys himself in the bathroom mirror; he looks startlingly like Vegeta, with his blue spandex suit and white and gold armor.

"This is Vegeta's old armor?"

"Yeah. Found it in the ship. Want me to get Videl some?"

"No. She isn't fighting."

Azuki nods casually, walking away from him and towards the drawers on the other side of her room. She pulls them open and tosses him some white gloves, then moves to her closet and pulls out a pair of white boots.

"Is my dad wearing some?"

"No, he wanted to wear his gi. Stubborn ass."

Gohan laughs and turns to see his back in the mirror, liking the way it feels. He jumps, bringing his knees to his chest, enjoying the flexibility of the material. "This is nice."

Azuki pulls out her own black and golden gloves from the drawer, pulling them on, then sits on the ground to pull on her boots.

"A lot of people are going to die."

Azuki only replies with an emotionless, "Yes."

"What if one of us dies?"

"We won't," she says, with utmost confidence. "That's not how it works."

"How do you know?"

"Because, Gohan," she turns to him, sets her hand atop his head, "we are Saiyans, and they are beneath us. Dying is a part of life. But not ours." She moves away from him, but then, as if on second thought, turns and watches him for an indefinite amount of time, then finally says, "You fucking look like Vegeta."

* * *

"How do I look, Dad?"

Goku laughs as his son twirls, showing off his brand new Saiyan armor. "Great! Where'd you get that?"

"Azuki gave it to me," Gohan grins, tugging at the armor. He then looks up at his father, noticing, for the first time, the brand new orange and blue gi. "Who got that for you?"

"Oh, Heyte got someone to make if for me. It's lighter than my other set."

They fall into a somewhat awkward silence, and Goku takes great care to break it. "I'm proud of you, son," he says, circling his arm around Gohan's shoulders. Gohan blushes, the faintest of smiles on his young face.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Everyone will be ok, right?" Gohan turns his head away from his father, embarrassed. "I don't want any of us to die."

He can't get rid of the nagging feeling that not all of them are invincible and that people _die_ in war, despite Azuki's confident words.

Goku's face darkens, and he turns his son's head so that he must look him in the eyes. "I can't guarantee who will live or die, Gohan, but I promise you that I will not allow you to be hurt. I know that I can't stop you from coming, but I can protect you."

"But who's going to protect _you_, Dad?"

"We're all going to protect each other. Like a family."

"We're the most dysfunctional family I've ever seen," Gohan jokes, trying to lighten the tension, and Goku laughs, pulling his son into a hug.

"We are, aren't we? We're going to win this war, and you're going to see it, Gohan. I promise."

* * *

"You've been spending a lot of time with Kakarrot, lately," Radditz comments conversationally, trying to catch up with Azuki, who is strolling around the outside of the complex. People move aside for them, and whether it is due to the fact that it is Azuki has gained a reputation among the Resistance or that they are both Saiyans, Radditz does not know.

It isn't jealousy he feels for his brother. It _isn't_.

She doesn't spare him a glance. "It tends to happen when he is the only one that trusts me. He and Gohan, anyway."

Radditz winces. "I trust you, Azuki. I always have."

"Oh?" She says, still not looking at him, and he jogs to step into stride beside her.

"Of course."

"Where were you, then?"

"Huh?"

"When I was sitting in the spaceship, where were you?"

"I came, Azuki – I tried to get you out –"

"You didn't try hard enough."

He tries to grab her arm and make her face him, but she jerks away, mask now replaced with an angry scowl. "Azuki –"

"You'll always have my back, right?" The scowl disappears almost as quickly as it had come, now replaced with an innocent expression. She finally turns to look at him, stopping in the middle of the street.

"Of course," he splutters, somewhat alarmed by the rapid change of emotion, and, as an afterthought, adds, "You're my - my Princess. It is my duty."

And its as if they're suddenly reminded of their positions - she is royalty, and he a weak, third class soldier - this can't happen, and he needs to stop deluding himself. She gives him a once over that nearly makes him cringe in its scrutiny, as if she's seeing through all his appearances and seeing his doubts and fears and weaknesses with those _eyes_ of her's, those sharp, calculating eyes.

"Are you ready to fight?"

"As ready as I can be."

"If you die, I'll kill you."

"Duly noted," Radditz responds with a wince. He then smirks innocently, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Up for one last roll around in the hay before we risk it all?"

"Roll in the hay?" She repeats, eyes narrowed.

"Um – it means _sex_, oh innocent one." He makes a great show of looking at her like she is a child.

"Oh," her expression actually _falls_, and damn her, he knows she does it on purpose. "Don't you mean first?" And then she laughs, eyes flashing wickedly. "Keep dreaming, oh inexperienced one."

"Had to try," he says with a shrug of one shoulder. Azuki smirks, her eyes sharp, and then turns and promptly walks away from him. "You are so damn evil," he growls, loud enough so that she can hear him, and she simply waves at him.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

And then she turns, so quickly that he nearly bumps into her, but she steadies him with a gentle hand on his chest. His heart quickens, and he is sure she can hear it, for her eyes laugh at him. She leans forward, her tail wrapping around his thigh, and Radditz feels himself being drawn towards her, oh how he's always wanted to know what she tastes like - something forbidden? "Will you," she begins, and licks her lips, placing an index finger delicately on his chin, "get me some breakfast? I'm fucking starving." She slaps his cheek playfully, smirks that damn infuriating smirk, and leaves him behind.

He fucking hates her.

* * *

"The ships are almost ready."

Vegeta looks up from where he had been pulling on his pristine white gloves to find Kakarrot standing in his doorway. The other Saiyan smiles at him, but he simply scowls back.

"Alright."

"One last spar before we leave?"

Vegeta smirks at him, cracking his neck. "If you really feel like getting your confidence destroyed before we leave."

Goku simply laughs, brushing him off. "I think I might have you this time, Vegeta."

And although he can't stand Kakarrot – the Saiyan covers up knowledge with idiocy, Vegeta is sure, and he can't fathom why he would want to do so (and also, there is a jealousy, a jealousy that the fool knows his sister better than him, her own brother) – he must admit that the man makes a good sparring partner.

* * *

Frieza stares into the dark abyss of space, watching for something, although he isn't sure of what. Normally, Zarbon would be behind him, bothering him with some news of Resistance movement in his Empire or showering him with compliments in an effort to win his favor. Or maybe Ginyu would be there, ready to serve his master with true obedience.

Oh, Frieza can't _wait_ to rip Vegeta to shreds.

He can't shake the feeling that something is about to happen, can almost feel the tension in the Universe, but it does not worry him. No one has the power to threaten him. Not even Vegeta, who may have bested Ginyu. Ginyu was pathetically weak; a fool who deserved to die if a monkey could best him.

The door to his throne room opens, and a soldier whose name he does not know steps forward and bows. "Lord Frieza, you have a visitor."

"Who?" Frieza snaps, wondering who would dare request to see him at such a time. He does not bother turning to see who stands at his door.

"Is that the way you greet your Father after such a long absence?"

Frieza whirls around to glare at King Cold, craning his neck upward to look up at the impossibly tall Ice-jinn. "What do you want?" he snaps, folding his arms across his chest, his red eyes narrowed hatefully.

"I sensed that you would need me, my son. Do you not sense it, as well?" Cold smiles lazily, his pose one of utter relaxation.

"I sense a war," Frieza responds, turning his back to his father, who comes to stand beside him. They both stare out into space, hands clasped behind their backs. "But it is nothing that I cannot handle on my own, _Father_."

"Running the Universe from behind closed doors grows tiring. I need to spill some blood."

"A trait that we share," Frieza responds, a slight smirk on his face.

"I simply must be there for the day that we finally rid the Universe of the Resistance once and for all, as well." King Cold straightens his back and smiles. It's been far too long since he's killed someone.

* * *

**A/N: We're so close, guys. I can't believe it! **

**I think that I'm going to write the rest of this story out as one big chapter, and then split it up in the way that I want, so that I don't get stuck anywhere. Also, I want it to be perfectly perfect before I even think about posting it. So, the next update might take a bit longer than usual. Or, who knows, I might churn it out ridiculously quickly.  
**

**Simply for my enjoyment, let's take a poll. Who do you guys think is going to bite the dust before we see the end?  
**


	37. Chapter 36

**A/N: Well, this is it, guys. I've finished. Just to lay it all out right now, there won't be an epilogue, as I absolutely suck at them and find it rather difficult to not make them cheesy. Also, the chances of a sequel are very very VERY slim. I just don't have any ideas for it, and I don't want to use the overused Cooler plot.** **This story is over, but that doesn't mean there won't be more to come.**

**Here's part 1 of the 3 part finale. I hope you like it!  
**

Chapter 36

The Resistance prepares their largest ships to transport the warriors to Frieza's hulking base, so Vegeta and Bulma must leave their ship behind; the one that has seen them through this violence and war and love and hate. Bulma cannot believe that just under a year ago she was on the slave planet with Margit watching over them, her ever-present whip in hand.

And then the Saiyans had come, and Azuki had picked her out, and Vegeta had taken her.

The _fear_ she had felt, the fear that they wanted her as a pet, or a plaything, the fear that they would rape her had been so large – so pointless.

As they walk up the ramp, Vegeta in the lead, Azuki behind him on his right, Nappa and Radditz behind her, and she, Goku, Gohan, and Videl taking up the rear with hundreds of fidgety soldiers behind them (they look to Vegeta for guidance, it is obvious, because the Saiyan's strength seems to permeate the air), Bulma feels a strong sense of the finality of this moment.

This is it. The end, the beginning – it's just _it_.

Nappa will be the pilot of their ship, transporting them to the battlefield. The fifty or so fighter pilots are positioning helmets on their heads, heaving themselves into their smaller crafts, potentially the most important part of the mission on their backs. Their job is to drive Frieza's ship into the nearest planet, and only then can the larger ships board and attack.

Bulma stays at Goku's side as they cram their bodies into the gigantic ship, the hundred or so of other men and women following them and squishing uncomfortably in. There are five other ships to hold the remainder of the fighters, but being in the ship of Vegeta and Azuki had seemed a popular option among the others.

Piccolo keeps a firm grip on the back of Gohan's shirt and Gohan holds onto Videl's hand as they are pushed up against the wall, most of the already antsy soldiers pushing against them so that the others can fit.

Bulma pushes her way through the crowd, Goku at her side, dashing through the wake that the large body of Nappa is creating. She finally staggers into the controls room just as Nappa sits, and Vegeta follows in a few moments after, Azuki, Radditz, Gohan, and Videl in his wake.

"We ready?" Nappa asks, hand hovering over a lever that will close the hatch and seal them all inside.

Bulma peeks out of the viewscreen at a pudgy, teal-skinned man waving a white flag at them. The fifty fighter pilots' ships begin to hum with power, before promptly taking to the sky and blasting into the air.

"We're ready," Vegeta says.

Nappa jams on the lever and the floor vibrates underneath them as the hatch closes. They can hear the lull of conversation from outside their control room hush. There is no going back, now.

"Here we go," Nappa breathes, and his hands fly over the control board, directing their ship into the air. There is a moment, a pause as they hover – will they live to come back? – and Bulma meets Vegeta's eyes – and then their gigantic craft shoots out into space, the other four crafts following soon after, the tiny specks of the fighter ships directly in front of them.

They ride the rest of the way in tense, almost uncomfortable silence. It is Vegeta and Azuki who hold their heads high, eyes hard and sharp, ready.

* * *

Bulma's back arches against the straight wall of the controls room, aching for some sort of reprieve. She can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be for the hundreds of soldiers crammed into that one room. It's been hours, and although she has no idea how far away they are, she is almost afraid to ask and break the silence.

She knows that the ship that they are on, although huge, covers a lot more distance in a shorter amount of time than their previous ship that they had been living in. And the fighter pilots had long since zipped ahead to begin their mission.

Bulma is just beginning to nod off when Goku, standing beside her, tenses. Her eyes flash open and Bulma sees the distinguishable silver peck in the distance; Frieza's ship, with a red dot underneath it. The more skilled pilots had already almost accomplished their mission. "Shields are going up," Nappa says, then flicks a switch. Their craft trembles underneath the power of the shields, and Bulma sways, clutching Goku's arm.

In the distance, little flashes of light can be seen, tiny explosions, and the darker silver of the fighter crafts can barely be distinguished, swerving about. As they grow closer Bulma can see that their forces are doing a tremendous job; as Azuki predicted, only a few of Frieza's crafts are sent out, and they are immediately taken care of, blown up in bright, orange explosions.

Frieza's mother ship is moving, groaning with effort as it falls for the first time in decades.

The fighter pilots skillfully direct their ships to the northern side, firing lasers that are swallowed up by the powerful shields. The great planet ship tilts, and the ships drive harder, zooming in and out of sight at ridiculous speeds.

And then it's as if whatever it had been balancing on is pulled out from underneath it, and the mother ship falls.

It rotates and spins as if desperately clutching for some kind of hold, but it falls; a great, hulking behemoth that can't find a foothold in the dark space around it – it _crashes_ into the red planet underneath, and there is a large screeching sound of metal screaming.

"Go, hurry," Vegeta commands to Nappa, who instantly presses down on the controls and tilts their ship in the direction of the second planet, attached to the first like some kind of tumor.

Even though their ship is huge and contains at least a hundred people, it is still a tiny speck compared to Frieza's. The five of their ships can all fit into just two hangars – two are landing in the east, the other three in the west - and Bulma is suddenly struck by the sheer, daunting size of their goal.

Nappa presses forward, gently, gently now, and their ship eases into a hangar, tilted precariously, for Frieza's ship had landed at a slant. Bulma's hands are pressed against the walls, but Vegeta and Azuki stay still, arms at their sides, eyes dark and violent and _oh_, they've waited so long, too long.

The ship touches down in the empty hangar; red lights are flashing blindingly, sirens are blaring, all evidence that something is terribly _wrong_ – all commands for Frieza's soldiers to get to the floor that Azuki had spoken of, for it is obvious that war is here, war has arrived in the bodies of two desperate Saiyans, two siblings, thirsty for blood.

"Frieza is mine," Vegeta says stonily, coldly, and his voice is different, somehow. "No one else will attack him." Nappa and Radditz nod obediently, for they had not planned on attacking Frieza in the first place (they do not have a death wish, after all), and they know whom the message was directed at. Azuki smiles. "You two are staying here," Vegeta waves a hand at Bulma and Videl, who both stiffen.

"No," they respond simultaneously, eyes flashing. "No," Bulma says again when she sees the darkness of Vegeta's eyes (he is ready for death, ready for blood), "let us stay in a room on the ship. I want to be _close_, Vegeta. And I didn't come unprepared." Bulma flashes her gun in his face, the device that she had created, with a sad smile.

"We're wasting time," Azuki hisses, impatience in every muscle of her body. Her eyes flicker upwards at the same time Vegeta's does – they can feel Frieza's power, feel it surging with rage.

Who is he with? That strange, overwhelming power – who _is _that?

"Fine," Vegeta growls; there is no point in arguing with her, he's long since learned. "Let's go." And that's it, those two words – that's how a war starts.

Without a word of explanation, Vegeta hauls Bulma into his arms and then soars over the crowd of anxious warriors. He lands softly in front of them and on the lowered hatch, turns, and says, "Follow me."

As they enter Frieza's hangar they see the other ship slowly filing out – the men and women look to Vegeta for guidance, and he, Azuki, Nappa, Radditz, Bulma, Videl, Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo take the lead, guiding their soldiers through the narrow hallways and up a few staircases – until Vegeta stops.

"Here. This is as close as you get," he says, gesturing to a dark room next to them. Bulma peeks in and sees the dark, black walls, sees the wires and blinking lights, sees the one rejuvenation tank pushed up against the wall, and nods.

"Fine."

And that's it – it's where they depart. Videl leaps forward and wraps her arms around Gohan's neck, kissing his cheek fervently, hands brushing at his face, his hair, hushed whispers saying, "Please be ok, please don't die –"

Bulma looks at Vegeta first, and she is not surprised to find that he is watching her. She opens her mouth to speak, to say something, but _what?_ What is there to say across the gulf of misunderstanding and deception and _love_?

"Good luck," says Bulma.

Vegeta nods and closes the door with a bang, leaving Bulma and Videl in suffocating silence. Videl sobs; one, heartbreaking sound, and Bulma must try very hard not to cry.

* * *

Their allies and warriors and fighters are at their back, ready to fight for them, and Vegeta and Azuki step towards the center level, the light at the end of the tunnel they are walking down.

"Before we go," Azuki says absentmindedly, as if suddenly remembering something, and she turns towards Radditz. Azuki claps both hands on either of his cheeks, snaps his head down, and crashes her lips against his for half a second of forceful passion, and then pulls back, leaving Radditz to nearly tip over in his eagerness for more.

"A little incentive to stay alive," Azuki winks, and then she turns, stepping towards the battlefield. Radditz blinks after her, and Vegeta, with a roll of his eyes, follows his sister.

It is, as Azuki described, one gigantic floor that stretches for half a mile. The ceiling is high, as it is the tallest in the entire ship, and the walls are pure white with slick tile floors. The room is at a slight tilt, gravity tugging at the left of their bodies due to the way the ship landed on the planet.

Frieza's soldiers turn, look at them. The other three-fifths of their forces arrive at the other end of the floor at the same time, weapons raised. There is a moment of silence, of eyes meeting each other and of tense fear – and then war cries bellow from both sides' mouths – and they charge.

There is a clash, a great shift as the two fighting forces collide, one for freedom, one for power.

Frieza is not in the room, Vegeta is able to deduce in half a second as he charges into the midst of Frieza's soldiers, other warriors at his back. He kills a weaker soldier with a blast of ki and turns, ramming his fist into the face of another, then raises his eyes to the ceiling, up, where Frieza's ki is.

* * *

Frieza is not patient; in fact, the sooner the Resistance is wiped out, the better. With his father at his side, Frieza clenches his fists, bulges his muscles, and transforms – once, twice, three times – until he is in his final form, all sleek white and purple scales and his armor shatters at the power, leaving him naked but oh so powerful, and Frieza smiles.

"Impatient?" his father asks from beside him, the hulking Ice-jinn looking down at his son with a raised eyebrow. It was, after all, unlike Frieza to not want to taunt his enemies.

"I want to draw out their pain with my full power," Frieza responds. And he knows that the greatest insult and pain that he can cause Vegeta is the fact that he is stronger, so he does not want to delay in seeing the desperation in the Saiyan's eyes.

* * *

Azuki leaps into the air, and with a terrible _crack_ slams two men's heads together with a delighted cackle, turning and blasting another to the next dimension without hesitation.

This is her arena, her stage – this is what she was made to do.

Goku, at Azuki's back, ducks to avoid a frail fist sent his way. He rams his shoulder into his opponent's gut and slams the soldier into the ground, dispatching him with a quick ki blast.

They are terribly outnumbered, that much is tremendously obvious. For every man he dispatches (he refuses to think the word kills) four more take his place. But with Vegeta and himself and Azuki and Gohan and Piccolo blasting aside at least two at a time, it is apparent that Frieza's forces are outmatched.

He doesn't want Gohan to see this – from all directions people are being beheaded, torn apart, and blood splatters across the floor and across the still-standing fighters. Gohan should not have to see this, he is but a boy, but there is nothing Goku can do to stop it now. From beside him, Gohan kills two soldiers with two separate ki blasts, and Goku mourns for the loss of his son's innocence.

There is no knocking unconscious here. There is no justifying death, Goku knows, but this is war and a man that he does not kill could kill someone on his side.

They're evil, wrong, he tells himself. Goku ignores the voice that reminds him that Vegeta and Azuki were on the same side, only months before.

All around are the cries of death, screams, and flashes of ki. Vegeta has taken to the skies and is firing at basically anything that moves with Frieza's armor on, and Azuki has moved from Goku's side to duck and weave through the crowd, eliminating soldiers in almost a dance of some sort.

And then he feels it, that familiar power, that ki – Goku looks up, and sees King Cold looking down at them all with bored contempt.

He can feel the warmth of Cold's ki blast when he had killed Chi Chi, had taunted Goku that it was his fault, all his fault, Goku had held Chi Chi in his arms and she had already been dead he had not even got to tell her how _sorry_ he was, sorry for being oh so weak –

Pushing off of the ground with a cry of fury, Goku slams into King Cold, knocking them both into the wall. The larger Ice-jinn seems confused for a moment, then recognition appears on his face, and he swings his fist at Goku, connecting with the Saiyan's jaw.

The tremors in the ground suggest the larger battle going on, and Azuki glances upward to see Goku and the infamous King Cold trading blows, one with a look of glee, the other with a deep rage that Azuki has never seen. She weaves through the crowd of soldiers, laughing at their pathetic attempts to kill her, and hopes that Goku knows what he's doing.

Vegeta is suddenly by her side, and their eyes connect for a fraction of a moment – they both know what is coming. There is silent communication (catch me if you can - don't you fucking dare Azuki he's _mine_), and then both catapult themselves from the ground, both rocket upwards in the direction of the new enemy that had only just arrived.

She has and always will be faster, and Vegeta wants to save his Super Saiyan transformation for when he's fighting Frieza, wants to see the fear flicker in the red eyes. So when Azuki inches ahead of him, he grabs her ankle, intending to pull her down and slam her into the floor beneath him, but she turns and with a demented look in her eye fires a ki blast into his face. He falters, but does not stop – they're so close to that evil Ice-jinn, so close to the white and purple and the red eyes – so close to victory, so close to death.

* * *

"What's going on?" Bulma asks anxiously, pacing in front of Videl while wringing her hands together.

"Everyone's fine, right now," Videl says, eyes closed, concentrating on the mass of ki's that are crowded into the one floor. It is taxing work, trying to pick out their friends from the swirl of colors and blurs, and her head throbs from the concentration. "Frieza's there."

"And?" Bulma asks, suddenly in front of her, in her face. "Who got to him first?"

Vide's eyes widen, startled, and answers her, "Azuki."

* * *

Gohan slides to his knees as a sword swipes the air above him, kicking out his attacker's legs. He quickly chances a glance upward and watches Vegeta fall, watches Azuki throw a kick at Frieza, watches Frieza block it with a smirk.

He wonders if this is for the worse, or the best.

He checks on the progress of his father and watches as Goku is pushed back, King Cold's blows being thrown with ruthless intensity. And then Gohan must focus back on the soldier trying to hack his head off, trying to sense an opening for a well-aimed ki blast.

Vegeta decapitates a woman next to him in rage; how could he let this happen? It wasn't supposed to happen this way. It wasn't supposed to go this way.

He could kill Azuki, right now. He could kill her with his bare hands.

It is against the Saiyan way to interfere in battle. It's wrong, dishonorable. So what does he do? Sit tight until either Azuki kills Frieza or Frieza kills Azuki? Neither option is particularly favorable to him. Neither option is acceptable.

But he can't just go against everything he's been taught. Besides, if he attacks Azuki to get to Frieza, there will be a second of an opening for the Ice-jinn, a tiny moment where he'll be able to attack, to kill either one of them when they fight each other.

If Frieza doesn't do it, Vegeta's going to fucking kill her himself.

* * *

Azuki squirms out from Frieza's grip, using her size to her advantage – she has to be smart about this, has to be more strategic than Frieza, or she won't stand a chance. She continues to dodge his attacks, using her strategy that she usually uses on Nappa. Ducking and dodging and weaving and not throwing a single punch until he gets careless.

"You really think you can beat me?" Frieza taunts as he takes a moment to float in the air, watching her. Azuki can hear the screams from below.

"Of course," she responds with a cocky grin. Frieza phases out of sight and Azuki closes her eyes, sensing for his ki. She barely has time to dodge as he appears behind her, attempting to knee her in the back. She jumps upwards, kicking off of his raised knee to get higher in the air, and Frieza follows her, phasing behind her again.

They engage in a sort of game of cat and mouse, both of them phasing across the room, Frieza trying to get a hit in, Azuki dodging.

Finally, instead of running, Azuki turns and swings with all her might, snapping Frieza's head back in a forceful punch. She grins.

Frieza glares fiercely at her. "Enough playing around," he hisses. "I'm growing bored of this, Azuki. You've run your course." And he attacks with more violence than normal, fists flying everywhere, one catching her gut, another her chin, the next her back. Azuki spits out blood and flies downward, watching Frieza follow. She makes a triangle with her splayed out palms, preparing a ki blast – but then the ship _lurches_, throwing her off balance, making both her and Frieza stumble. Frieza recovers first, phasing behind her and _slamming_ his fist into the back of her head, sending her flying towards the ceiling and making her vision blacken for half a second.

* * *

Bulma hisses in pain as she catches her fall with her knee, pushing herself back up immediately. The ship underneath them hums with life, and slowly, ever so slowly, Bulma can feel it rise.

"What are they doing?" Videl screeches, dodging a desk as it collapses, sliding to the floor.

Dawning realization hits Bulma, and her gut sinks. "They're trapping us in here."

"_What_?"

"In case we start to lose, they're making sure we can't escape to the planet. I bet they've destroyed our ships."

"Azuki or Vegeta or whoever will need ki to beat Frieza, and if we're in the air, they can't use it," Videl says, already hurrying to the door.

"Where are you going?" Bulma nearly screams, stumbling forward to grab Videl's arm, but Videl shakes her off.

"We have to stop them, come on!"

Hissing in frustration, Bulma withdraws her gun and barrels out the door behind the child, because even though Videl may be stronger than her, she still feels the need to protect the young girl. Videl has already started sprinting down the hallway, away from the battlefield but towards the direction that they had come in.

"Do you have any idea where you're going?" Bulma screams, running after her, fear pounding in her heart.

"We've got to do something!"

"We can't do that if we're _dead!"_

* * *

Goku slams into the floor head first, but there's no time to feel pain. He quickly flips over and is back in the air, foot digging into Cold's gut. Cold grins, grabbing his foot and twisting it, making Goku scramble for purchase. The Ice-jinn brings down one fist onto Goku's spine, and he screams in pain, stars erupting in his vision.

He can feel that the ship has started moving, and he had been keeping Cold back by a series of ki blasts before, but now he doesn't have that luxury. He chances a glance to where he feels Azuki's ki and watches for a moment the two exchanging blows, fists connecting with one another, perfectly synchronized.

Cold grabs his ankle and prepares to throw him upwards, towards the ceiling, but Goku twists his body and throws a ki blast into his face. He slams back into the ground when Cold lets go of him with an angry snarl. Goku scrambles back to his feet, diving into the crowd of fighting soldiers, wincing as Cold fires a gigantic ki blast into the array of men and women, killing both his forces and Goku's allies alike.

Jumping back into the air, Goku turns only to find Cold zooming towards him. He barely has time to leap to the left, the Ice-jinn racing forwards, past him. Cold turns fiercely, lifts both hands, and begins to charge.

"No!" Goku screams. "You can't!"

Cold just grins, and fires.

He can't dodge – he _can't_ – for if the ki blast were to hit the wall and create a hole, they'd all be sucked out into space, and what good would that do any of them? So Goku takes the impact in his chest, allowing it to slam him into the wall, grunting in pain.

And as he blinks warily down at the crowd beneath him, he can tell – Frieza's forces greatly outnumber their own, as he watches, at least five of their men are felled – they're losing.

* * *

Videl skids down the hallway, Bulma hot on her heels. "Up here!" The young girl calls out, diving towards a ladder that led to a higher level, and climbing it at ridiculous speed. Bulma pants after her, taking the ladder at a considerably slower pace, wiping the sweat at her brow.

"I wasn't made for this shit," Bulma gasps, vaulting herself out of the narrow tunnel that the ladder was in and struggling to catch up to the much younger girl. Videl turns, grasps the back of Bulma's shirt, and hauls her to her feet.

"We have to get there before the ship is too high!"

"How do you even know where we're going?"

"There's a small mass of ki's just above us!"

Bulma follows Videl as they, once again, set off. They encounter only one soldier, and Videl dives into him, knocking him to the ground and immediately striking him across the face, sending him into unconsciousness.

"Good…work…" Bulma gasps out, taking a moment to lean over and place both hands on her knees, sucking in air.

"Come on, just up these stairs!" Videl proceeds to take the staircase in front of them two steps at a time, and Bulma curses vehemently.

* * *

Azuki wheezes as the fist drives up, _up _into her gut. She strikes Frieza across the face and sends him flying to the left. Azuki wipes the blood from her lip and winces, gasping desperately for air, still recovering from the last blow.

Suddenly something wraps around her neck and she chokes, digging her fingernails desperately at Frieza's tail. Azuki kicks her leg back, connecting with Frieza's crotch, and he lets her fall as he jumps back. He doesn't give her long, however, both of his fists _slamming_ into her forehead, making her crash into the ground. Azuki blinks up, watching as a blurry Frieza hoists something bright blue over his head. "Get out of the fucking way!" she screams at Radditz, who had been fighting right by where she had landed. Azuki jumps up and dives aside, just as the ki blast slams to where she had just been, obliterating everything in its path and making the entire ship shudder.

* * *

"Shit!" Bulma screams as both she and Videl slide forward, hitting the ground from the blast that had just shaken the entire ship. "What happened?"

"Frieza," Videl answers simply, but then, upon seeing the terrified look on Bulma's face, says quickly, "but no one's dead."

They have come to a corner and both girls peek around. There are at least ten men guarding the door to the helm in serious-looking armor and helmets. "Ok, we'll need a plan – we can't just attack them –" Bulma whispers.

Videl leaps from around the corner and attacks them.

"Fuck, Videl!" Bulma shouts, raising the gun that she had created and shooting one, two, three. Videl swipes her leg underneath one, making him slam into the ground, and then ducks between the legs of another, turning and driving her fist into the back of his head. Another knocks Videl aside, making her slide across the floor, and the remaining men all attack, throwing themselves on her, beating her.

"No!" Bulma screams, running forward, shooting her gun as fast as it will go, but she's too late they'll kill her – Bulma is struck in the back of the head, suddenly, and slides to the floor.

* * *

Azuki doesn't understand – she can feel the dormant power pooling inside of her, can feel it twisting around and fighting for some way out – so why can't she call it forth? Why won't it just _come out?_

She needs a trigger, like Vegeta had with Bulma. She needs a trigger to set it off, make it explode, needs a trigger to transform into what she is meant to be. But _how_?

With an angry scream, Azuki attacks Frieza with more ferocity, more anger, driving him backwards towards the ceiling. Her fists fly rapidly, and she manages to catch him in the cheek. She phases behind him, grabbing his tail, and _heaves_, tossing him across the room and watching as he slams into the wall with a grimace.

She just needs a trigger.


	38. Chapter 37

**So, I have a question: If I write more BV (which I hopefully will) do you guys think I should put Azuki in there? Kind of like my own signature, recurring character? Or should this be it for her? I'm making it entirely up to you guys, because I'm on the fence about it.  
**

* * *

_I don't wanna die; I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all_ - Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen

* * *

Chapter 37

Videl is buried in a pile of bodies and they beat her like she is an animal, inflicting pain on every bit of her skin that they can reach. With a scream, Videl flares her ki to knock the pile of soldiers off of her, slamming a man's head into the ground and rolling, firing a ki blast at the one right above her. She leaps upward, making two collide into each other, and then slams her feet into their skulls. Videl hurries to Bulma's aid, but Bulma rolls over onto her back and shoots the last one that had attacked her, making his body fall on top of her. Videl grabs the still body and heaves it off of the blue-haired woman, and they both sprint to the door, slamming it open.

There is only two men inside, which they both dispatch easily. The controls room is huge, at least three times the size of the one that had been theirs on the last ship, and the viewscreen stretches across the front. "How do we stop it?" Videl asks, blinking down at the flashing lights and whirring controls in confusion.

"Like this," Bulma responds, and she jams her gun into the control board and fires. It sizzles, and the lights blink off. "Hang on!" Bulma cries, throwing herself against the controls as the ship groans and, once again, begins to fall. It tilts precariously, slamming them against the far wall.

* * *

Frieza fires a ki blast at her, and there's no time to move no time to get out of the way – but then the ship jolts to a jarring halt, sending her soaring across the room and making the ki harmlessly fly into the far wall. The warriors below her scream as they floor tilts, making them slide and slip, giving some advantages and others death.

Azuki doesn't know what to do - she chances a quick glance at Goku, sees that he is losing, and fear grips her gut. She doesn't want anyone to die, but how else will the trigger be pulled and the dam unleashed? How else will her true power come forth?

Radditz, Gohan, Goku - she can't let any of them die. She can't. She has to win, to win for them and show that she isn't a failure isn't just a mad, crazy little girl - she'll win for them. The Super Saiyan inside of her rolls, grimaces, and Azuki pushes back the tears that threaten to burst forth, the you aren't good enough to pull it out yourself why does someone have to die for it to happen are you that twisted?

She can't let Frieza kill anyone else.

Azuki smirks, flipping so that she is behind Frieza, and places both hands calmly on his back. She uses her ki to send him soaring back, and phases in front of him so that she can deliver a strike across his front, abruptly changing the direction of his flight.

Frieza flips mid-flight and, without warning, fires a bright blue ball of energy at her. It connects with her middle and Azuki cries out as it burns her skin, fries, it fucking _hurts_ – and when she is able to see again, Frieza is gone.

Where, where is he – Azuki looks up, following his ki, and spots him.

Vegeta has had enough. He can't watch this anymore, can't watch her either win or die, so he pushes past Frieza's men and prepares to make his attack. But there are so many of them, holding him back, pushing at all of his sides, that he has to turn and kick and punch and shoot a pathway to the fight.

* * *

Bulma grabs Videl and hauls her out of the control room. "Come on, we need to get back to that room in case someone needs us!"

Videl worms out of her grip and Bulma lets her, thinking that the girl is just going to follow. It is not until Bulma is halfway to the staircase that she realizes Videl is not behind her – she turns, confused, and watches as Videl gently pulls a helmet off of one of the guards that had been stationed in front of the controls room.

"Videl?" Bulma says cautiously, moving forward with little steps, as if afraid to frighten the girl. Videl looks up at her, her eyes dark and storming and _no_, Bulma thinks, please no.

"I want to help."

"Videl, you can't –"

"I can _feel _their ki's. They aren't that strong. I want to help."

"Please – _please_, Videl, if you get hurt, I'll never forgive myself." Bulma reaches out tentatively, hoping that Videl will come to her senses and allow her to guide her back down, back to their safe little room out of reach of war and death and violence.

"They're losing, Bulma." There is something in her voice; a hard, cold edge, and Bulma's heart drops. She sounds so - so _old_. "The darker ki's are overwhelming the lighter ones. I have to help."

"Gohan will sense you the moment you walk in – you'll distract him –"

"He'll be too focused on fighting to even feel me," Videl responds quickly, her fingers tracing the designs imprinted in the helmet. "I have to do this, Bulma, and you can't stop me." The threat is there, the I'm stronger and you can't hurt me.

Bulma can practically feel Videl's helplessness, the need to do something, to _help_, the desire to not be useless and weak and in the back.

Bulma's arm drops to her side. "Please be careful."

Videl nods, situates the helmet on her head, and dashes by. Bulma follows at a considerably slower pace to return to the room with the rejuvenation tank, fear in her heart – it will be her fault, and only her fault, if Videl is hurt.

* * *

Videl dives into the fray happily, immediately tackling a larger man to the ground and pounding his face with her fists. She jumps aside as another attacks, slapping aside his weapon and leaping so that she can kick him in the face, snapping his head back.

Her helmet suggests that she's on Frieza's side, but she's dressed in the colors of the Resistance, so her allies know not to attack her. Videl dodges as a man takes a swipe at her, ducking between his legs and using her small stature to her advantage.

Just as she emerges on the other side a man with undeniably Resistance clothes stares down at her, his expression slack-jawed, eyes wide – Videl freezes, _what_ – and then his head rolls aside, severed, his body crumples, and an insect-looking beast hisses down at her.

Videl's heart stops in her chest, she steps backwards and slips in something. She looks down at the coated floor – red – _blood – _Videl screams.

And now, everywhere she looks, she sees a similar situation playing out. A member of the Resistance being decapitated, killed, destroyed, blood splaying everywhere and across the floor and people and oh, this is wrong this is so wrong –

She hadn't expected such violence, but then again, what _had_ she expected? She had wanted nothing more than to help, than to do something – and now, now that's she's here, she wants to scream and run and cry.

She's only a child.

The smell, the death – its too much, too much, and she nearly heaves. Videl looks down and sees the man's head by her foot, still staring up at her.

She gasps for air, and suddenly Videl can't _breathe_.

Snap out of it, Videl tells herself, refusing to breathe in the death and blood and smoke – you're going to die if you don't snap out of it.

She catches a punch thrown at her, holding onto the fist tightly and tugging, slamming the attacker into the ground.

Death is a part of life, a part of war – she must accept this.

And, with eyes squeezed shut, Videl makes her very first kill.

A fist suddenly flies into her vision, connecting with her lower jaw and snapping her head back, sending the helmet flying to the other side of the room. Videl hops to the left to avoid the next attack and leaps over the woman, throwing an energy ball at her unprotected back, watching it connect, watching the woman fall to the ground and not move again.

Breathe, Videl. Breathe.

Her next opponent that sets his eyes on her is huge – at least Nappa's size, her frayed mind thinks – and wields a huge spear that towers over even him. With a dim-witted sneer, he jabs it at her. She ducks to the side and it catches her shirt, making a tear and barely cutting her skin. Videl flattens herself against the ground as he swipes it at her head, then rolls to the left as he crashes the flat side into the ground. His eyes flash - he's found a worthy opponent, he thinks - and he laughs hollowly as he twirls the spear skillfully over his head. Videl pushes herself to her feet and ducks, her spine arching, when the spear is whirled at her head. With the floor at a tilt it makes her attacker have the higher ground, and Videl desperately tries to push past him and reverse this, but he is large and doesn't let her pass.

She can't just keep dodging all the time, can't just keep this up –

The giant makes to swing it at her again, but at the last second he _jabs_, the spear going straight for her gut, this is it, all of her wanting to help and contribute and she's just going to die minutes within setting foot on the battlefield – what a failure, what a pathetic failure she has turned out to be.

She wonders if her dad is watching her, somewhere.

And then a giant figure casts a shadow over her, slapping the spear to the side, rivaling the monster in size and stature and _no_, please don't die for me.

Nappa growls in frustration, ducking and weaving as the idiotic giant tries to impale him with that overly large spear. It's hard to get in close enough to get an attack, so he tries throwing a ki blast, but his opponent simply slaps it aside, leering at him with yellow teeth.

Nappa has no idea who this is, but he's stronger than the majority of the forces that they've been fighting.

"Get back, Videl," Nappa growls as he is pushed back and nearly bumps into the girl, and she scrambles to get out of his way. Dodging to the left, Nappa catches the middle of the spear with his forearm and knocks it aside, finally getting somewhere. The giant's eyes flash with fear.

Videl feels relief in her as Nappa gains ground on the monster, pushing him farther back and back, until finally he manages to duck close enough so that he is right in front of the man. Nappa digs his fist into the creature's gut, smirking as he wheezes, and he fires, fires a hole into the hulking beast's gut, watches as he falls to the ground.

He kills him with such _ease_, no hesitation.

Videl watches Nappa turn to her, watches him glare at her, blood smeared across his armor and face (she longs to reach up and wipe it away, wipe away the evidence of wrong and evil). "What are you doing out here?" he snarls at her, face a mask of thinly veiled worry, disguised with rage. "It's too dangerous, get your ass back to Bul –" And she watches as his head is split open, watches as the spear goes _in_ and _out_, splitting open his skull, watches as his mouth opens in a tiny 'o' of surprise. She watches as a ki blast rips through Nappa's middle, watches as chunks of his blood and skin and guts spew across her face, into her eyes, her nostrils, her mouth, painted across her torso – she watches as Nappa's body slams into the ground, face-first.

The giant stands before her with a leer, spear raised, the hole in his torso slowly closing, replaced with new skin.

* * *

Azuki watches as Frieza unleashes a powerful blast and she soars out of its range – but not at her, no – _no _– it's at Gohan, innocently fighting his own battle. _Let it hit him_, something inside of her says, let it hit him and kill him and there's your trigger, there's your Super Saiyan - just let it happen, let the death happen and then let it unleash and then you can kill Frieza.

Goku will never forgive her.

She _can't_.

Azuki phases in front of the boy and does the only thing she can to block it: she generates her own ki blast and fires it at the oncoming attack, momentarily stopping it. It feels as if it's pushing her backwards and she grits her teeth and grunts as she tries to stop it – but then it is gone, it has disappeared, and Azuki is left floating over Gohan in a temporary state of confusion as she frantically glances around for her opponent – where is he –

Vegeta moves frantically, _this is it – _

And Azuki knows, she _knows_, because the number one rule is never to take your eye off of your opponent because then it's all over there's nothing you can do you just _can't_.

Before she can phase out, he is _there, _in front of her, and calmly places a hand over her chest plate.

Azuki tries to move, panic gripping her, _she must get out _so she attempts to phase out of the way, move, move, _move_ –

Their eyes lock, black on red –

Frieza grabs her armor with his other hand and fires.

The blast goes straight _through_ her, through her armor and flesh and muscles and soul, she hears Gohan screaming – pain explodes in her chest and she sees stars, sees beginning and end and life and death and _oh_, it wasn't supposed to happen this way.

He is grinning, smirking, evil incarnate, her ruler, her master, her enslaver, her killer; the beast that warped her and changed her and molded her into what she is and then destroyed her.

So close - she had been _so close_.

Azuki lowers a shaking a hand to her breastplate and then removes it; it is wet, red, and she stares at her crimson-soaked hand in confusion as if she has never before seen her own blood – this can't be happening, it just can't.

Frieza laughs, Vegeta roars, Gohan screams, and Azuki falls, down, down, down. Gohan leaps forward and picks her out of the air, cradling her with an inhuman wail passing through his lips (his ki flares, power skyrockets) – his fault, all his fault – Vegeta turns, delivers a blow to the boy to shut him up, and barks, "Take her to Bulma!" Gohan immediately obeys.

Frieza smirks at Vegeta, who slowly floats upward, fists clenched by his side, teeth grinding together. "A shame," Frieza says, calmly licking the blood – Azuki's blood – off of his face. "I feel I could have drawn it out a bit longer."

With a roar that shakes the entire ship, Vegeta transforms, his hair turning gold, his eyes teal, the power inside of him finally unleashing with an excited _yes, oh yes_. Frieza's eyes widen for half a second, but he quickly composes himself. "So your hair changed colors?" He rolls his eyes. "What a startling transformation, Prince."

Vegeta clenches his teeth, prepares his body – this fight, this death is what he has been waiting for – and attacks.

* * *

"Azuki!" Goku screams and, without thinking, he tries to rush to her aide, tries to get to his son and take the limp body from his hands, push her hair aside, heal her. A hand clasps around the back of his gi and snaps back, his head cracking backwards and making him see stars.

No no no this can't be happening no they're losing _I'm_ losing –

Cold fists his hands in Goku's hair and fires a ki blast into his face. Goku cries out but King Cold holds strong, hand wrapping around Goku's throat – this is it, this is it –

"How easy it is for everything you love to die around you," Cold sneers, and he throws Goku's body into the ground, grinding his foot into Goku's chest – something snaps, something cracks, and Goku screams. "First your mate, you couldn't save her, could you? And now _her_, that monkey, that traitor." He leans forward, his hot breath in Goku's face, and it smells of death. "Who else has to die, Goku? Who else are you going to let die? I took _great_ pleasure in killing her. Great pleasure in watching the light leave her eyes."

Goku screams – he's going to kill Cold, he will, he has never felt so damned angry in his life, never felt so goddamned furious. His ki roars around him, drowning out all other sound except Cold's distinct laugh – he will never forget the sound of Cold's laugh. Never forget Cold's laugh as he snapped Chi Chi's neck, and now Azuki, who else has to die, who else will die that he cannot protect?

His fault, all his fault, first Chi Chi and now Azuki he's so weak so damn weak he can't do anything, just watch them cry and watch their pain and watch them die and watch and_ I am so fucking sorry_ -

Goku roars and something inside of him breaks, some kind of power surges within him. His vision clears and he can see the fear in Cold's eyes; yes, be afraid, be very afraid, because I'm going to kill you for everything that you have destroyed.

There is a new power inside of him now – a Super Saiyan, and it feels so _right_.

Goku reaches upwards and grabs Cold's face in his fists, pulling him off and using his other fists to strike Cold's head, sending the Ice-jinn flailing back. His balance is lost – attack, attack _now_ – and Goku rams his left shoulder up, up into his chest and ribs. Something cracks and Cold gasps for air, continuing his descent. Goku slides his foot underneath Cold's, lifting him upwards and making him finally lose his footing and slam into the ground.

Frieza's father stares up into his eyes and Goku clenches his jaw, his fists, his chest heaving with hatred and fury and he's never wanted to kill someone so badly in his life.

His golden aura flares as he stares down at the pathetic creature, heaving for air and fear in his eyes. Goku hesitates – he has always been against killing, always will be, but this rage, this hatred; this _thing_ deserves to die.

"You really think killing me will bring back the bitch?" Cold spits.

Any former hesitation is lost, any reserve, and Goku forms a cup with his hands right beside his hip, beginning his signature move with this new power behind it. Cold senses this and scrambles to his feet, leaping into the air, flying away from him.

Goku fires the kamehameha wave at the fleeing Ice-jinn (coward) and watches as it connects, slamming him into the wall and cutting off his life.

* * *

**A/N: One more chapter :'(**


	39. Chapter 38

**I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! And here it is, the final chapter.**

* * *

_Will I cry when it's all over? - _Scott Matthews, Be Human

* * *

Chapter 38

Gohan can hear someone following him, and he almost drops Azuki to turn and attack in his panic (the fighting, the war is so ingrained in him that he is ready to kill at a moment's notice) but realizes it is just Radditz, tearing after him – them.

Azuki struggles for breath, her hands scrambling to find a purchase against his armor, and she finally finds his arm, gripping it in her left hand with such force that he gasps. He looks down at her, then, and immediately wishes that he hadn't – she is staring up at him with such pitiful pleading (how does she expect him to save her, _how_, he is just a child) that his heart wrenches, and then she coughs, blood spitting up and staining her chin.

"Stop it, stop it," he cries, his voice foreign to even him, utterly broken and defeated and he sounds like a scared child. As he runs, Gohan wipes desperately at the blood on her face, her chest, her torso – there is so much blood, so much blood everywhere that he can hardly recognize her underneath it all. His hand rakes her wound and she cries out, screaming - I'm sorry I'm so sorry - Gohan's eyes are blurred with tears as he continues to run.

Gohan kicks down the door into the room that Bulma is in and she screams, thinking that someone has come to kill her. Upon seeing him she relaxes for a split second – _I know you_ – but then she sees, sees the death and blood and fear in his eyes, sees Gohan's tears making tracks down his dirty face, sees Azuki struggling to breathe through all the blood in her airway.

"_Help her_!" Gohan screams, just as Radditz barrels in behind him. The older Saiyan takes charge without hesitating as Bulma just stares wide-eyed at them both. Radditz rips her from his arms and Gohan suddenly feels empty without her weight – the Saiyan strides across the room to the rejuvenation tank, his face a mask of fear, and begins connecting wires to her body, her chest, stomach, face.

"You have to clean her first, the blood –" Bulma starts, reaching forward to touch Radditz's arm, her voice cracking in its shock. Radditz yanks away from her with a snarl.

"There's no time! Help or get the fuck away!"

As if snapping out of a trance, Bulma suddenly nods and taps rapid instructions into the rejuvenation tank's keypad, then helps Radditz situate the mask over Azuki's face. She blinks blearily up at them, eyes mere slits, as they heave her body up into a standing position, Radditz's hands underneath her armpits.

His hand hesitates for a moment, brushing her hair off of her sticky cheek, eyes stormy with hidden emotion, conveying what he can't say (I should've been stronger) – her eyes watch him, and if the mask were not on her face she may say something but she _can't _(it's not your fault it's mine _oh _it's mine), and then Radditz closes the door to the tank and flips the switch for the fluids to fill it.

Azuki's eyes flutter closed while Gohan's shoot open.

"Where's Videl?"

"I couldn't stop her, Gohan, she wouldn't listen –"

Gohan disappears from sight a moment later.

* * *

Videl desperately leaps to the side, the spear cutting her skin – too slow, she's becoming too slow with each passing moment. There are hundreds of stinging cuts on her skin and she's fairly sure that her wrist is broken, for the giant had used the butt end of the spear to shatter it.

She's tired and weary and her emotions are on a frayed string, ready to break. They dance around Nappa's dead body, the giant purposefully keeping the battle close to it, and she can taste and smell and feel his blood in her mouth and nose and across her body and face.

Each blow she manages to make, each attack, he simply heals with some freakish skill that she hadn't ever thought possible (and neither had Nappa, he had been so unsuspecting). His ki fluctuates strangely, sometimes so low that she cannot even feel it and other times so high that his great power is obvious.

And then _he _is there, blocking blows meant for her and dancing around with her and helping her.

No, not another one, please _no_.

Videl screams at Piccolo to get away but the Namekian doesn't listen, eyes hard, moving with a skill far superior to Videl's own, but he doesn't know, how can he know?

"You can't kill him!" she screams, her voice cracking, and then someone else is at her back, pulling her away.

Gohan steps in front of her and next to Piccolo, ducking and creating a distraction so that the Namekian can get a shot in to destroy the giant, the monster. Videl screams and panics – no one else can die for her, please don't do this.

They work in tandem, Gohan twirling and leaping, Piccolo edging around to the monster's back. The giant lunges at Gohan so violently (he is angry, frustrated, impatient) that their enemy is off balance for a precarious moment, and a spiraling beam goes through the creature's chest from behind and out the other side, narrowly missing Videl. He teeters and falls.

"_He won't die_!" Videl screams desperately, running forward and taking Gohan's arm, pulling him back, just as the giant gets to his feet, grinning, his oversized spear pointed at the two children.

Gohan and Videl stand in fear, hands intertwined, eyes wide.

And from behind him, Piccolo digs his hand into their enemy's neck and rips, throwing the head onto the ground and obliterating the remainder of the body with a powerful blast of energy until there is nothing left.

"Recover from _that_," Piccolo spits.

* * *

Vegeta throws his body into the blow, trying hard to get some kind of hit on Frieza, but the Ice-jinn just grins, dancing around him, watching him struggle. He begins to fire ki blasts in rapid succession, trying to slow down his ruler, but Frieza is much too fast.

Frieza phases in front of him, his fist flying upwards and snapping Vegeta's head back, making him see stars.

He is aware, in the back of his mind, of Kakarrot and the majority of the fighters from both sides watching below them, eyes glued to this fight that will change it all. Frieza's men's allegiances aren't simply loyal to Frieza; they are spineless cowards and they are loyal to whoever is strongest.

Vegeta brings his arms up in an X formation to block Frieza's next punch, using his knee to drive it up into Frieza's stomach. Frieza fires a blast into Vegeta's face, making him stagger backwards, and then flies upwards, higher into their arena. Vegeta follows, his golden aura flaring.

"Come and get it, Prince," Frieza taunts with a smirk.

Vegeta rears back his fist and charges with an angry roar, and at the last moment, Frieza cranes his neck to the left, dodging the blow. Vegeta does not relent, fists flying so fast that Frieza can merely dodge. The Ice-jinn brings up his knee and slams it into Vegeta's chest, then digs his elbow into his back, making Vegeta slam into the ground on all fours.

Vegeta flips over to see Frieza dive-bombing him so he fires a ki blast into the ground, using the momentum to catapult himself up into the air. Frieza's foot slams into the floor, making a crater where Vegeta had only just been. The Ice-jinn turns to look up at him with a smirk, then shoots after him.

Frieza swings his right fist and Vegeta catches it. He tries to aim for Frieza's face with his left, but the Ice-jinn does the same, and they are left floating there at a sort of deadlock, staring into each other's eyes.

The Master and the Servant.

"Dear Prince," Frieza sneers, licking his lips, "I'm _destined_ to kill you."

Vegeta snarls, rage and hatred in every pore of his body, seeping out of him in the form of raw power. "Not here," he growls. "Not in this life."

Vegeta clenches his fist tightly and throws a staggering right hook that connects, snapping his Frieza's head back with the force of the blow.

And then they are both throwing punches, both dodging, both so close to each other that one slip up could be fatal. Frieza uses his tail to wrap around Vegeta's ankle, pulling him close, then rams his fist across Vegeta's cheek.

Frieza crosses his arms over his chest, his tail waving behind him. He grins cockily at Vegeta, who wipes the blood from his lip with the back of his glove. "I'm going to kill you, Prince Vegeta. Just like I killed your sister."

Vegeta's father had once told him to use his enemy's weaknesses to his advantage. At the time, he had simply scoffed and offered a sarcastic "everyone knows _that_" but he is suddenly struck by what his father had truly meant.

Frieza is so arrogant. Frieza is like Azuki – and Vegeta knows how to deal with Azuki.

"You're pathetic," sneers Vegeta, grinning. "A pathetic piece of shit."

There is a falter; Frieza's face falls for half a second, as if wondering what he is playing at. "You little monkey –"

"You're weak and pathetic and a coward. And I'm going to kill you."

Frieza charges with a snarl (they are the same, they have short fuses, _they are the same_) and Vegeta dodges, smirking. He can play this game, he can do this, this is what he was born to do this is how it is supposed to play out.

"Is that it?" Vegeta snarls, and Frieza's eyes flash. "You're weak."

He can't take what he can dish out, he can't do it. Vegeta used to taunt Azuki like this, when they were younger, and she would become so wild and violent that he would just need to use strategy and precision to overwhelm her.

Frieza screams, his anger overtaking him. His blows become more wild, less controlled, and Vegeta just dances around him, not throwing a punch, an infuriating smirk on his face.

"You've raised me to kill you, you know? You should've killed me as a child, because the mistake is going to cost you your life."

This has gone on for too long. This control of his mind and body – this slavery, this obsession, it has to end. Frieza is all that Vegeta knows and he wants to know other things (Bulma briefly comes to mind) wants to be able to see and experience and know without that nagging thought in his mind that Frieza cannot be too far behind. Frieza is who raised him, who did this to him, who sent Azuki over the edge and made him a mindless killing machine and destroyed their entire planet – what would they have been like if they had lived their whole life on Vegetasei?

Frieza must die. And Vegeta must kill him. It was not meant to be anyone else – not Azuki, not Kakarrot, it was always meant to be him.

He cannot lose.

"You can't beat me!" Frieza screams, desperately throwing a punch, terribly wishing to cause Vegeta pain because that's all he wants to do he just wants to cause pain, now. There is no strategy, no control, only mindless viciousness; Frieza is insane and it is easy to trick him.

The punch is too far left, and for a moment he can see it in Frieza's face (the sheer fear; the stunning realization), and Vegeta spreads his white-gloved hand out over the tyrant's face, grinning. He fires.

Frieza is sent crashing into the floor, disappearing in a pile of bodies. He explodes out of it a moment later, aura flaring and a snarl on his face, looking around for Vegeta, but seeing nothing.

It worked for Azuki. It will work for Frieza.

Vegeta phases behind Frieza – he can't sense ki, he is weak – and fires again.

And then he is knocking Frieza around, fist connecting with his gut, his face, his bones. For the first time, a flicker of fear appears in Frieza's eyes, and Vegeta relishes in it. He knocks the tyrant around, breaks his bones; Vegeta is a Super Saiyan and he was created to kill Frieza and this is destiny at its _finest_.

"Afraid? Didn't think this would happen, did you?" Vegeta grins and prepares for the final blow, rearing back his fist and using his ki to enforce the blow. Frieza is still spinning from his last hit so he cannot react in time, he can't.

He throws his body into it, cracks Frieza's head to the side and then slams both feet into his gut. Frieza soars into a lower crater of the dead bodies and Vegeta lights down on a pile of them, looking down at the creature that ruined his life.

Frieza looks up at his creation.

Vegeta has nothing more to say. For a long moment he simply looks down at the Ice-jinn, looks at his red-stained skin and his red eyes and his sleek body, and then he lifts his arm, points his palm at him.

"I killed one of you," Frieza grins, closes his eyes.

Vegeta fires, expelling all of his hatred and violence and pain into that one ball of ki.

He floats down to the maimed body of his former master and sees life still in his eyes. Frieza gargles up at him, not even able to speak due to the destruction of his body. Vegeta crouches and cradles Frieza's face in his hand for a moment, eyes flashing, heart pounding. And then he pulls back, rips, and Frieza's head is severed from its body.

Vegeta looks out at the crowd; his followers and enemies alike, and raises the head of Frieza in a gesture of victory, his face emotionless.

A great cheer breaks out across the room and some of the men embrace each other – so long, they've waited _so long_ – and Vegeta meets eyes with that of Kakarrot (the other Saiyan is golden, too, but there is no time to dwell on this), and it all comes crashing down around him.

* * *

_There is a child watching her, standing out in the meadow of green and pink and yellow. Azuki can faintly make out a palace out, over the hill, and it looks strangely familiar, but she ignores it, eyes settled on the child._

_ The little girl has long black hair, dark eyes, and pointed, almost fierce features. She had been running, shrieking happily when she had spotted Azuki, and now she stares at her, eyes calculating and scrutinizing and wondering why this teenager has landed in her domain. The child looks over Azuki's bloody and bruised and broken features with a look of disdain. The younger girl is clean and smooth and perfect, and Azuki self-consciously tries to wipe at the blood on her stomach and chest but it does not stop, spurting out of some wound that she does not remember getting._

_ Azuki feels a deep, achingly painful sadness that is in her stomach, but she does not know why._

_ The child seems to feel it too, but she seems just as confused. Tilting her head to the side, she offers Azuki a hand, stretching it out and nearly begging Azuki to take it in all its temptation._

_ Azuki hesitates, and its as if the child expected this, for she laughs. Her laugh is mocking and rich and painful to hear._

_ Azuki cries out as her younger self turns, leaving her behind._

_ "Not yet," younger Azuki says, looking over her shoulder at her older self, a grin on her face and eyes alight with a knowledge of something (innocence) that older Azuki will never know. "Not yet."_

* * *

Some kind of raw emotion is tugging at his chest, pulling, constricting his lungs and making it very hard to breathe. At first he thinks that Frieza has somehow managed to cast a spell over him with his last breath, but then the sensible, rational part of himself tells him that this is no curse – this is fear; panic. Azuki's energy level – his sister's energy level – is decreasing rapidly, not at all what should have been happening if Gohan had managed to get her to Bulma and into a tank. He hears the pained, rapid breaths of Kakarrot behind him; he, too, splattered in the blood of their deceased enemies.

He passes over Nappa's body as he runs and briefly closes his eyes, knowing that there will be a time to dwell on his loyal bodyguard's death, but not now.

They burst into the room simultaneously, Saiyan eyes finding what they are searching for: there she is, floating in the liquid of a regen tank. But the tank is not the color it is supposed to be – it is not the cool blue of healing, but a sick, faint tinge of red – her blood, he realizes – is making the liquid appear purple. Gohan sits just in front of her, his legs crossed, blood (his own, his enemies', and Azuki's) seeping through his clothing and skin, making the boy seem like some sort of demon from hell.

Bulma stands at the controls, rapidly typing in calculations and numbers, and she swings, her blue eyes wide as she takes in Vegeta – from the blood and torn armor to the swinging head of Frieza gripped tightly in his fist. Their eyes lock, and Vegeta's heart falls – no. Radditz stands next to her, his eyes downcast, focused on something that Vegeta cannot hear.

"Vegeta," Bulma says weakly, "you won."

As if sensing his presence, his sister's youthful black eyes fly open and land on him. Wordlessly, the Prince of the Saiyans lifts the head of Frieza, their destroyer, for her to see clearly. Her eyes light in victory, and she lifts a hand and rests it against the pane of glass, leaving a blood-streaked handprint that fades quickly in the fluids.

He can see the fear, the pain, the sadness in her usually sharp eyes - they are dulled, and it scares him.

"She wants to be let out," Radditz says softly, eyes downcast. Vegeta's eyes snap to attention, defiantly staring down his sister, whose watches him sadly (this can't be happening she won't die she won't).

"No," Vegeta answers, and he is embarrassed by the weakness of his voice, so he says again, firmer, "No."

"Vegeta," Bulma says to him, her eyes on the monitor and refusing to meet his gaze, "It says – it says that it will take seventy-two years for her to fully heal."

And he understands – understands that the wound had torn a hole in her heart, and the rejuvenation tank is not complex enough to heal such wounds as it could others. He understands that it is either she lives the remainder of her life in the tank, alive, or die here, now. The tank cannot heal her. Not now.

Azuki is afraid to die, but she is much more afraid of being unable to live.

"Let her out," Radditz says, voice hollow. "She knows it's pointless. She's dying."

"How do you know this?" Vegeta snaps, turning a hate-filled gaze on Radditz.

"I can hear her. Inside my head."

The bond had been made between Azuki and Radditz, Vegeta realizes. His cold eyes widen in realization, and his body stiffens. _When did this happen?_ he wants to demand, wants to act in control, but he can't find it within himself to respond.

Bulma's hand hovers over the controls and she hesitates, but Radditz nods at her, and she finally presses the button. The rejuvenation tank begins to drain and the door opens with a soft hiss.

Vegeta crosses the room in two great strides, shoving Radditz aside and taking his sister into his arms, settling them both down on the floor. She lies limply in his lap, the only thing moving being her eyes, dripping the fluids and not-quite-washed-away blood all over the floor.

Azuki begins to struggle, to move, fear and desperation in her eyes. The tank had given her but a few moments – this is it. "'Ge-'Geta…_bushna_, _bushna_," Azuki whispers through the blood and the pain, cutting into the thick silence - not like this, don't do this.

Vegeta is stiff, face emotionless, as he stares down at her, unable to speak and return the sentiment.

"I do-on't wanna die, Vegeta," Azuki's voice breaks, cracks with her weakness, and it is such a childlike thing to say, so innocent. He can't believe that she's just accepting it, just letting it happen - she needs to get back in the damned tank, because how many times had Azuki said she was going to be the oldest fucking Saiyan to ever live, how many cocky remarks had she made about it?

And then Azuki turns to Goku and their eyes lock; she opens her mouth to say something but only a frothy, pink bubble spits forth. But he can almost delude himself into thinking that he can _hear _her thoughts tumbling around his brain as if they are his own; he can feel her jealousy of him (he is golden and she is not) and can feel her tangible regret and immense thankfulness for what he's done, and he can feel her fear, largest of all. Her hand lifts feebly, and the blood trickles down her chin, choking her airways, _she can't breathe and _oh_ this is death, this is what it is_.

Goku can do nothing but nod.

There is a gargling noise as Azuki chokes on the blood in her throat, spits it out, her eyes widening and her hands gripping Vegeta's arms violently.

And Azuki begins to cry.

She begins to sob, tears running down her cheeks and creating tracks in the blood and dirt, and Vegeta just stares down at her, because he's never in all his life seen her cry – a few tears in her eyes, the tremble of her lip, but never tears leaking out of her eyes and running down her face.

She is so young, so young at only sixteen years of age, and as tears stream down Azuki's face and she cries desperately, fear in her eyes, blood dribbling down her chin, hands grasping Vegeta's own, Bulma realizes that this girl of sixteen years is afraid to die, and she must turn away and choke back a sob, because she's just a _child_.

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta," Azuki cries in anguish, raking her hands against her brother's chestplate. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me, brother, please forgive me." There is so much desperation in her plea, so much emotion, and Vegeta just stares down at her in shock, unable to find words to say what she _needs_ to hear, unable to put her mind at ease in her last moments.

_Please say something, _Bulma thinks, watching the display with her own tears in her eyes. _Vegeta, you must say something._

Blood trickles down Azuki's chin and lips, and her eyes start to lose focus.

"You are forgiven," Vegeta says, voice husky and dry.

A peacefulness comes over her - she stops trembling, her eyes dim.

"Please – I'd r-rather die by y-your hand than h-his," Azuki whispers through the blood, the pupils in her eyes quivering; she is so close, so close. And Vegeta blinks down at her, her words setting in.

It has all come down to this; he has always been destined to kill her, from the moment they were born and the moment Frieza's red eyes looked upon them both.

She begins to choke on the blood in her throat, swallowing desperately for air and hacks up a great mouthful, staining his front, and then there is one last desperate rattle of her chest – her hands find Vegeta, her eyes wide in a last moment of fear (are you going to let me die this way please don't let me die this way), and Vegeta's eyes harden, he whispers, "_Bushna_, Azuki," he cradles her in his grip, his muscles bulge in preparation, and he snaps her neck with one quick jerk.

The room echoes with a loud _CRACK_ and Bulma cries out and looks away whilst Radditz's face drains of color, unable to tear his eyes away from Azuki, whose eyes almost pop out of her head in her last moment of living. And then she stills, hand falls to the ground with a loud _thump_, head lolls to the side eerily, last tear slides down her cheek.

Azuki dies.

There is a tense moment of silence where everyone just stares and Bulma sobs once. Before she can do much more, she is being hauled to her feet by Radditz and shoved out of the room. He barks a command at Gohan to follow and both he and his father scramble out of the room (the smell of death permeates the air and they are all too ready to be rid of it and away from Azuki's glazed over eyes). Radditz slams the door shut behind them.

"What are you doing?" Bulma shrieks, lunging for the door, but Raditz grabs her arm and pulls her back before she can get far, sending her flying painfully to the floor. "He needs us!"

"It is customary that, following a death of Saiyan royalty, the Saiyan's closest of kin keeps vigil over them for the entire night. _Alone_," says Radditz, his voice low and soft, and without any more explanation he leaves. Bulma turns to gaze upon Gohan, who avoids her look and slowly walks away. Goku slides to a sitting position directly across from the door, buries his head in his hands, and does not move.

* * *

Gohan hurries away from the room with Vegeta and Azuki's body (no, not body, no), sprinting in the direction of Piccolo and Videl's ki's and trying very hard not to cry. He has to be strong, has to be grown up and strong and not cry for Videl, because she needs him, now. Piccolo had helped her to a tank after the battle had been over and he had left her to return to Azuki.

Piccolo meets him outside the door before he can enter, a stern look on his face. Gohan nearly bumps into him and blinks a few times to steady himself – he's finding concentrating on his surroundings particularly hard.

"Gohan," Piccolo says, and Gohan looks up at his former tutor. "She's not talking."

"What do you mean she's not talking?" Gohan asks dumbly.

"I mean that she's traumatized from what has happened to her. She wouldn't go in the tank either, and screamed and kicked when I tried to force her. I'm going to go help clean up and leave you to her."

He knows what clean up means. Clean up the dead bodies. Nappa's. Azuki's.

Piccolo turns to leave, but before he goes, says, "It's not your fault, Gohan. Don't blame yourself." And Gohan thinks that the fact that this could be applied to two different situations, two different moments that night, means that it truly _is_ his fault. He opens the door.

Videl is sitting motionless on the floor, staring down at her hands, eyes blank. The blood is still painted on her, creating a rather gruesome appearance. Her hair is matted and her left hand is twice its normal size and bruised and purple.

Belatedly, he realizes that he, too, is splattered with blood.

Gohan sits next to her, crossing his legs neatly. He picks at the dead skin on his thumbs for a moment, stares at his bruised knuckles, and then says, as if conversationally, "Azuki's dead." And it's like he's commenting on the _weather_; the simplicity of it all makes his voice crack. Videl doesn't move. And then the dam breaks, and Gohan can't stop, frustration filling him and pain and _everything_ hurts, his wounds and his insides; Gohan begins to unravel at the seams. "You can't do this. You don't get to break," he cries, and the tears that he had been holding in begin to pool in his eyes. "I went through it all too. I k-killed people too." Gohan sniffs loudly, wiping his nose with the back of his torn sleeve, trying to stop the onslaught of pain and tears and hurt.

"It's my fault," Videl says softly.

"What's your fault?"

She struggles for a moment, her face screwing up, as if she doesn't quite know how to say it without completely breaking down. Gohan knows the feeling, and after a few moments, she finally blurts out, "Nappa."

"So?" Gohan angrily growls, turning so that he can look into her eyes as he spits, "Azuki is my fault. She died protecting _me_. And Nappa is my fault, too. I should've sensed that you were in the room, I should've _known_ –"

"It isn't your fault!" Videl cries hastily, but Gohan doesn't let her keep the blame.

"It _is_! It's all my fault, and there's nothing I can do," he won't break down, he won't. "It's my fault that I let you come on the ship, it's my fault that Azuki died, it's my fault that Nappa died, it's my fault that you had to see all of that –"

He has never wanted his mother more than this moment, wants her to hold him and rock him and tell him that its going to be ok.

"_I_ went in the room, Gohan! I was stubborn and stupid and thought I could handle it!"

And she begins to cry, the walls around her crumbling, and it's like its _contagious_. They both break down into a heap of crying and sobbing and he pulls her against him, holding her. He tries to clean off Nappa's blood from her face, but it has dried and he can't get it off, and for some reason that makes him cry harder than ever.

* * *

Bulma wonders aimlessly to the place where the battle had been held, first. She does not know what draws her there, but she follows whatever is pulling at her, entering the place where it all ended with wide eyes.

There are bodies everywhere. Piles and piles of them from both sides. Blood stains the floor in thick puddles, and there are body parts strewn across the floor. Some of the survivors have begun to stack the bodies of their comrades together, leaving their enemies behind. The remaining soldiers glance at her and recognition light in their faces (that's the one, that's Vegeta's), but they ignore her and return to their gruesome task.

The room is thick with silence. No one speaks. It is grim and dark and bloody and Bulma's throat constricts.

The won, she reminds herself. They won.

She doesn't know how, but Nappa's body is easy to find. He is face-first in the ground and no one has moved him, and she leans over to pick him up, tugging and heaving but he's so damned big, he won't move –

It starts with one dry, painful sob that wracks her body and breaks into the silence and then it is all it takes, and she can't _stop_ now, can't stop the tears; she begins to dissolve, to melt. Her hands shake, fumble, why is she so useless -

"I've got him."

Bulma looks up through her wet eyelashes as Piccolo easily hefts Nappa's body up and over his shoulder. They make eye contact for a moment (what could have been had this not happened? Would they still have been enemies?) and then Piccolo is gone, hefting Nappa's huge body to the side of the allies.

She's no help here – no help. She's no help anywhere. She could've been strong, could've fought with the warriors, and maybe, just maybe, something would've been different.

She's needed elsewhere. Bulma doesn't belong here.

* * *

War had always been so glorified. In the novels, the movies he saw back on Earth - no one ever spoke of the children that were left motherless, fatherless, of the deep tears that the deaths of loved ones would make - they glazed over it, didn't speak of it, because it was sad and depressing and now Goku knows.

Azuki had been a child, Nappa had been in his prime - this isn't fair, isn't fair.

She had just been withdrawing that insanity in her mind, he had only _just _been getting to know her, and they could have had something so great. Azuki could've been his friend for life, Nappa could've been a father to Videl - it isn't fair.

Goku's perception of death has always been off; death was never particularly intimidating or anything to be afraid of because if someone died they could always be brought back with the dragonballs. But now there's nothing; nothing to bring them back, they're gone forever.

Goku wonders what would have happened if Earth hadn't been destroyed. If, by some rare fate of chance, Vegeta and Azuki and the others had come to Earth and learned to live with them and Chi Chi would've lived and Gohan would've somehow met Videl, he just _knows_ it. He would have had more children, Vegeta and Bulma would have children, and Azuki would always be there, teasing and joking and being her provocative self, tainting both his and Vegeta's children's minds with her words; Chi Chi wouldn't like her -

He's speaking of her like she's alive.

She's not.

* * *

Radditz knows – _knows_ – that Vegeta will want to have had the honor of destroying Frieza's throne room, for the floors are more stained with Vegeta's blood than his own, and Radditz knows that Vegeta deserves it – but that is Azuki's blood there, too, Azuki's blood and pain and fear.

And it isn't fair, he thinks, isn't fair that though Vegeta has lost her, he still has Bulma and he still has victory and he still has the reign of the Universe – he may have lost his sister, but he has gained so much that it is outweighed. And his pesky sister is gone, the crazy one, the one that always brought him trouble and never listened to him and –

She was going to fix it, she was going to _change_ things –

Radditz has lost everything.

Vegeta will have no need for him, anymore, so what will he do? He would have at least had Nappa to be with, but Nappa is dead, too. He will be left to start his own life, make new beginnings, and what can one Saiyan with no knowledge but how to kill and no experience but violence do with himself?

His inner mind aches with having a new bond so recently severed; he feels so empty, her mind is supposed to be in his, because they were supposed to be _one _and it had been so new, they had only just begun, why is she already gone?

Why did she have to wait so long?

Her last words echo despairingly in his mind, aching with the pain of what could have been ("I'm sorry we didn't get to have what we were supposed to I'm sorry I wasted it I'm so _sorry_").

Her worst fear had been death, and his stomach churns and aches with the thought that she has simply ceased to exist – Azuki no longer breathes, no longer thinks, is no longer _there_. And if the afterlife does exist, then she is in Hell alongside the rest of their people and Nappa (and Frieza), in the midst of fire and darkness and despair and she deserves it, she truly does.

Radditz heaves Frieza's throne in his arms and throws it across the room with all his might.

It isn't fair, because Radditz now has nothing left and Vegeta has everything.

* * *

Goku is still where he was when she left (how much time has passed? Minutes or hours?). She briefly considers sitting next to him, but as if reading her thoughts, Goku shakes his head and says, "He needs you." Bulma nods and slips into the darkened room.

He is still where he was when she left, seated on the floor with Azuki's body in his lap. She takes a seat beside him silently, and he continues to stare ahead, eyes hard and emotionless. Bulma's eyes are involuntarily drawn to Azuki, and her once mischievous eyes still stare up at her, so she leans forward and closes them silently. Her heart thumping so loudly she is sure that Vegeta can hear it, Bulma wipes the drying tears from Azuki's cheeks.

Bulma takes a deep breath, presses her body against Vegeta, and takes his hands in her own. She pulls off his gloves slowly, tossing away the blood-stained clothes. He does not object, and she squeezes his hand in assurance.

"It's alright to cry," she whispers, curving one hand against his cheek and up into his hair, smoothing it away from his eyes and out of his face.

He ignores her for a long time, and then, after what seems like hours, Vegeta says, "Stay." One word, so simple, and yet there is so much concealed emotion in his voice that she immediately must blink back tears. And she knows what he means; knows that he does not just mean here, now, but after this, for forever.

"I will," says Bulma.

She rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. He looks at her for a brief moment, eyes cloudy, and then quickly looks away.

None of this would have happened without her, Vegeta knows. He isn't delusional. It was not until they purchased Bulma that this crazy chain of events spiraled out of control. He wouldn't have left Frieza so soon, he wouldn't have looked for the Resistance, because he wouldn't have accepted help. He wouldn't have turned Super Saiyan at the moment he did, because he would not have had that trigger to push him over the edge.

Would he still be mindlessly killing, Azuki and Nappa and Radditz at his side?

And as he steals a glance at her, he is glad that he found her.

He briefly considers pulling his hand from Bulma's because he doesn't like the way it feels in his own - he is sweaty, clammy, and the blood that had seeped through his gloves and painted his hands is staining her unblemished, pure skin - but he stops himself and let's her comfort him. Just this once.

Many hours later Vegeta rises and Bulma startles from next to him, her hand immediately shooting out and gripping his arm. "Come," says Vegeta, "It is morning." He lifts Azuki's body in his arms and her limbs hang, lifeless, still.

When they emerge Goku, still in the same place, nods and leaves, then returns with Nappa's great, hulking body in his arms. Their group finds them, Gohan and Videl appearing, Radditz trailing after them, and the six survivors and two bodies exit the ship and out onto the dusty, barren soil of the planet that they had crashed onto. The sun is almost up, casting a red light upon them all.

Radditz sets about gathering the wood from nearby and Goku helps, sitting Nappa's body down and piling the branches high. Radditz makes Azuki's funeral pyre higher, showing her status, and then Vegeta gently sits her body atop it, Radditz doing the same with Nappa's, off to the left.

They step back, eyes solemn, and Vegeta lifts his palm, fires, and the two bodies are soon engulfed in flames. Smoke fills the sky, and the six remaining watch without speaking.

Vegeta looks over at Bulma and finds that her eyes are already on him. There are tears in her eyes, but whether it is from the smoke or actual sadness, he cannot tell. And he can see in the rich blueness – can see that they will be ok, that this will work.

He briefly does a check on her ki, as if to remind himself that she is alright, and is startled by what he feels – a second ki, thrumming inside of her, barely there but coming into existence, thriving, _living_.

He feels another pair of eyes on him and turns, meeting the gaze of Kakarrot, and he knows that the other Saiyan has sensed it, too. The third class simply inclines his head, and Vegeta gives the barest of nods in return.

Bulma is giving him a questioning look, and he simply shakes his head – she will find out the news, soon enough, and now is not the time, in front of the smoke and death and sorrow.

A death, a birth.

Radditz can serve underneath him just like always and Kakarrot can train with him and keep him strong and Gohan and Videl can live with them.

They will start over. A new life, here. Bulma will never have to be afraid again, nothing will ever hurt her again, he will be sure of it.

He will make it right.

_End_

* * *

**I can't believe I actually finished this story, guys. I can't believe its over. I would have never even reached the end if it weren't for you, reviewing and encouraging and reading. So thank you. So damn much. I hope that the end didn't disappoint, and I hope that you all liked it.**

**Thank you for all the reviews, the alerts, the favorites; each one has brought a smile to my face and you guys have been so kind. I couldn't have asked for more.  
**

**As I said before, there won't be a sequel. This story has come to a close. I do plan on writing other stories, however, so be on the look out. I'll have to think up a plot, first, of course - those are kind of important XD I might even write a Zutara? Who knows. Definitely another Bulma/Vegeta, though, and the turnout was overwhelmingly in favor of having Azuki in it. So, depending on the plot, she'll probably be back.  
**

**I encourage all those who have read silently to drop a review now that it's over - I'd love to know what you think.**

**THANK YOU!  
**


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